
Book iNMihL. 



/ 






\ 



THE , 

HISTORY 

OF 



NOTTINGHAM, 



EMBRACING ITS 

Antiquities ©rate, antf JHamtfactttreg, 

FROM THE 

EARLIEST A UTHEJYTIC RECORDS, 

TO 

THE PRESENT PERIOD. 






INSCRIBED (BY PERMISSION) TO JOHN SMITH, ESQUIRE, 

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE TOWN. 




BY JOHN BLACKNER. 



NOTTINGHAM: 

PRINTED BY SUTTON AND SON, BRIDLESMITH-GATE ; 

AND SOLD BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW ; AND B. AND R. CROSBY AND CO, 

STATIONERS-COURT, LONDON. 

*-&* v(/* *jy* */y\ u?t x/jn 

1815. 






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PREFACE. 



TThE anxiety of every inquiring mind to obtain a candid and impartial history of 
the city or town, in which Providence has destined him to reside, particularly one so 
famous as Nottingham was in days of yore, is so apparent, that did I not feel myself 
in duty bound to return thanks to those friends, who have generously aided in 
furnishing me with information, I should not have trodden in the beaten and joyless 
track of those authors, who consider a " Preface to the reader" as an indispensible 
appendage. But, as justice and gratitude demand that tribute from me, I shall 
perform the pleasing duty concisely, and without affectation. 

Among those, who have thus aided me, I have to name Mr. George Coldham, 
town clerk; Mr. Tollinton and Mr. Booth, churchwardens of St. Mary's, a few years 
ago; Mr. John Hawksley, late of Arnold, and now of Snenton ; Mr. Sutton, printer; 
and Mr. Johnson, Mr. Turner, and Mr. Allen, sextons of the three parishes. There is 
another friend, whose never-ceasing exertions have contributed much to my stock of 
information on this subject; but who, from a sense of delicacy, is desirous of being 
nameless here. 

I shall not attempt to emblazon the birth of this work, by detracting from the 
merits of those who have gone before me, to whose productions I owe much ; 
nor shall I, like many authors, sound my own trumpet of praise ; but shall leave the 
readers to form their own judgment of the merits of the production. And if it give 
them a degree of pleasure in the reading, corresponding with the trouble it gave me 
in collecting the materials, they will be fully satisfied. 



B 



INTRODUCTION. 



It is to the transcendant genius of a Milton, and the gigantic powers of a Hume, that historians owe the clearing of 
their dubious path. Till the bounteous Creator lent to the world the above-named immortal writers, a historian 
might have wandered in the trackless wilderness of antiquity, with as little probability of a successful egress, as though 
he had been wandering in the Cretian labyrinth ; and the more plausible falsehoods he culled from the thorny wild, the 
more was he extolled by the credulous multitude. But these two great men have proved, that a researcher into history, 
is not bound, in order to establish his character as a writer, to exhibit any thing but what is founded on authenticated 
facts, or supported by collateral circumstances, not of a very dubious kind. They had thousands of prejudices to 
encounter; but they steered triumphant through the tempest, and anchored safely in the haven of truth. I would not 
here be understood as wishing to discard every thing which is doubtful, merely because it is so; for many doubtful 
questions may be rectified by circumstantial argument and collateral bearings ; no, my intention is to exclude the 
legends of those dreamers, whose exertions centered in a display of the marvellous, that they might feed the wild 
fancy, and fatten on the fruit of the credulity of those for whom they wrote. 

In history, as in the science of astronomy, there is a certain space, beyond which, the native and artificial powers of 
man, never will enable him to penetrate. The virtuoso, who delights to wander in the fogs of his own raising, may 
grope, if he please, in the nebulous regions of history; but until it be proved that some good is likely to result to 
mankind from his labours, I shall not attempt to follow him into his darksome retreat. For what matters it to us 
whether the ancient Druids dwelt in rocky caves, or in huts of a conic form; or whether they transmitted their legends 
from father to son by oral or written means ; which, to the world are now no more, except what are pretended to ba 
preserved by modern dreamers, to feed the folly, and waft the flame of the readers of romance; a species of composition 
which tends so much to dissipate tho morals of the fair part of the creation, that the Almighty wisely created to solace 
the other sex through the thorny path of life ; but who, for want of due attention being paid to their education, and 
a proper cultivation of their morals, when nature begins to bloom, too often implant the thorn, instead of the 
rose, in the breast of the partners of their bed. 

Were we to consult the historians of the monkish age, we should find long dissertations on Gog and Magog; on. 
Brute or Brutus, and his Trojans : we should also find a list of twenty-eight kings, all reigning in Britain, when it 
was invaded by the Romans; but, in all probability, when they related these things, their own desire to excite wonder 
supplied the place of fact ; or at least, they gathered the matter of which their histories are composed, from the wild 
legends of their cloisters, where hypocrisy and fraud were the chief articles of barter; and to support which sprung a 
desire to deceive. 

It can now be of no consequence to us, by what name this country was known two or three thousand years ago : 
whether it was called Albion, either from Albion Marcatius, who, it is said, reigned over the wild hordes that 
inhabited it before any thing like a written chronicle was known among them ; or from Ab albis rupibus, words which 
imply the white rocks which present their projecting bearings towards the coast of France; or from the word Olbion 
which signifies rich and happy. Or, next, whether it was called Britain from the British words Pryd and Cain, 
which imply form or shape, and white ; or from the British word Bryth, which signifies painted or coloured ; to which 
the Greeks added Tania, meaning region, the painted region; or from the Greek word Alphon, which signifies 
white. Be all this as it may, it only proves that conquerors, folly, and caprice, have adopted, or changed the names 
of countries at their will. Notwithstanding this country may have been known by a hundred different names, we 
know it best by that of England; and the great object of the historian should be, to show how it has risen from its 
once obscure situation to its present state of opulence and power; that its inhabitants may profit by experience, and 
thereby learn to cherish the virtues, and avoid the vices of the past and present times. 

The arguments which apply to the unsettled state of the early part of British history may, with equal propriety, be 
applied to the history of this ancient and celebrated town ; for what difference can it make to us (since no chartered 



8 INTRODUCTION. 



right, or privilege enjoyed by custom depends upon its original name) whether it was called Causcnnw, Gofennce or 
Govciunr, from a cluster of hills, according to the opinion of Dr. Gale ; or, as Dcering has it, from a number of caves*- 
and afterwards Snoden-gaham, Snoiiden-gahatri, or Snotlengaham, and thence Nottingham, which latter name, from 
a change of circumstances and expression, I think, sprung from the numerous nutterics in its neighbourhood, though 
the former might have arisen from a compound of the Saxon words den, cave, and habitation : Not, very probably, bcin<* 
substituted for Nut, when etymology was less attended to than it is at present. And, though exceptions may be taken 
to any rule, which is the offspring of fancy, it is fair to conclude, that the names of towns, like the surnames of men 
owe their birth to some particular circumstance connected with business, Sec. or to the product of some particular plot 
of earth. As a proof that this town was once beset with nuttcries, when the workmen in 1793, were removing the soil 
in a swampy piece of ground near Poplar-place, between the rivers Lecn and Beck, in order to lay the foundation of 
Mr. Robert Denison's cotton-mill, whole handsful of entire nuts were found, at least two feet below the surface. 
This circumstance might be worth the attention of the naturalist, as, in all probability, they had lain there near two 
thousand years. 

The first deed, now extant, wherein this town is called by its present name, is that in which William Peverel gave 
the tithe of the fishery of Nottingham to the monastry of Lenton ; he having previously been created Lord of the 
Manor of Nottingham, by his father William the Conqueror, to whom he was a natural son. At the time William 
created his son Lord of (he Manor of this town, he gave him ten acres of land, to be converted into an orchard of 
which, it is thought, Standard Close formed a part, as it continues extra-parochial to the present day, but more of 
this hereafter. This close has long been in the Newcastle family, part of which was given for the purpose of the 
General Hospital's being erected upon ; and the remainder was sold, in 1807, for building purposes, under the express 
condition, that no house should be erected upon it, the annual rent'of which should b? less than twenty-five pounds- 
and that no manufactory should be carried on in any of the buildings. 

From whatever sources Nottingham derived the different names it has borne; and from whatever causes the 
changes have taken place, it is not material further to inquire; but wc may venture to affirm, without fear of 
contradiction, that, in point of manufacturing and commercial genius — in industry and useful invention, it yields 
preference to no town or city in the British empire; and in its progress in the fine arts it will give up the palm but 
to few f. 

Alter briefly treating upon the antiquity of the town, and its various embellishments and peculiarities, the grand 
object will be to delineate the rise, progress, and value of its trade and manufactures; and to show the necessity of 
fostering those acquirements as the guardian angels, or vital sparks of its existence. 

What is said by John Rowse, the monkish historian in the reign of Henry the Vllth, respecting Nottingham 
having been a place of note, near a thousand years before the birth of Christ, is treated by Deering just as nonsense 
deserves: but a few arguments, collateral to those employed by that writer, may not be deemed impertinent, or 
inconclusive. 

When the Romans made a conquest of this country, they found the inhabitants of the interior in a state of nudity, 
and resembling, in manners and ways of life, the wandering Koracks of the present day, who inhabit Mount Caucasus. 
Practisers in human sacrifice, they lived in a state of savage seclusion from all mankind, except their own isolated 
hordes — in strict obedience to their Druids and Bards — delighting in woods and caves; and every clan allowing a 
community of Wives. 

The lofty yielding rock on which Nottingham stands, then half circumscribed with woods, which bade defiance to the 
tempestuous howling of the north and north-east winds, affording at the same time, plenty of fuel and game: the 
Trent, which would serve them as a barrier against their southern enemies, and yield them plenty of fish, and water 
for themselves and their flocks ; while the south and south-west sunbeams shed an enlivening influence on the spot, 
would be inducements sufficient for some of those children of nature to chuse it as the place of their abode. The vast 

* Asser, who was one of our Saxon historians, asserts that Snotlingaham, in the Saxon, Speluncarum domum, in the Latin, and TuT ogo banc, in 
the ancient British language alike mean a habitation or retreat in the rocks. 

t At the present time Mr. Boriniugton and Mr. Barber, as portrait and landscape painters, stand almost unrivalled, as does Air. Tomson for the 
painting of animals. 



INTRODUCTION. 



quantity of oak, too, the object of their peculiar devotion, would be a strong incentive to them to fix their residence so 
near to where it grew. Their more maritime neighbours, who, of course, would be beforehand with them in the 
knowledge of commercial pursuits, would supply them, in exchange for their flocks and their herds, with implements 
of war, and with tools with which to make their subterraneous habitations in the rock, the sandy quality of which 
would render the task comparatively easy for them to perform. We have thus given reasons why the rocky front on 
which Nottingham stands, was, probably, inhabited so early as the days of the Druids, and others will appear 
hereafter; but the idea of giving, even a tolerably correct history of a town, during a space of near three thousand 
years, while the records of the country itself cannot be traced, with any degree of certainty, more than two thousand, 
would put any one, except a monkish historian, to the blush. 

The learned have long canvassed the question whether Nottingham ever was a Roman station; but as no proof, 
cither positive or circumstantial, has ever been adduced in support of its having been so, except that an old man, is 
said, by Dr. Stukeley, to have found a pot of Roman coins at Wilford, (a small village on the south bank of the 
Trent, nearly opposite to this town, where a ferry-boat is kept to conduct passengers to and fro), which, by the bye, is 
no proof at all ; first, because there is no evidence, except that of Dr. Slukeley's, that such pot ever was found, whose 
testimony of itself is of a very dubious nature; and secondly, if such a pot were found, it might have been deposited 
there to prevent its contents from falling into the hands of the Danes, when they ravaged this neighbourhood in the 
year 866. But be this as it may, J feel no inclination to enter further into the dispute, as it is not connected with 
the object in view. It is almost certain, however, that the Romans had a camp at Mansfield-Woodhouse, a village 
fourteen miles hence; as the late Hayman Rook, Esq. of that place, discovered various remains of that people's 
industry in his own neighbourhood. 

In the Saxon heptarchy, the kingdom of Mercia, of which Nottingham formed a part, began in 582, and continued 
202 years; during which time there reigned in it eighteen kings, most of whom were cither great promoters of peace 
, or were very fortunate in war; one of whom, whose name was Peafo, established Christianity among his subjects 
about the year 660. 

As these German adventurers, from their marauding course of life, possessed a considerable share of military skill 
it is likely they would fix upon this advantageous situation- as a place of strength ; in particular as, by dislodging the 
Britons, they would easily convert the caves of the latter into storehouses for their plunder ; or into places of retreat 
in case of danger ; and as the forest would supply them with fuel and with game. The Trent, too, would particularly 
engage their attention; as it would afford them any easy communication with the German Ocean, and thereby enable 
them to obtain a supply of strength in case of need, without such supplies being constrained to be landed until they 
arrived at their ulterior destination. By the same conveyance too, the fertile plains of Lincolnshire would teem their 
harvests into the storehouses of the invaders ; while the forest of Sherwood would furnish them with timber with 
which to build their vessels. And the rich mines of Derbyshire, which were likewise in Merda, would also send their 
leaden wealth down the Derwent into the Trent, making this town a central depot ; which would daily add to its 
importance ; and also to the commercial interest of the kingdom, of which it formed a part. Hence it is from this 
time, and from these concurring circumstances of advantage of situation, as well military as commercial, that we arl 
to date the rise of Nottingham, as a place of importance. 

While the heptarchy lasted, and the kingdom of Mercia was governed by a separate monarch, there can be little 
doubt of this town's being frequently the seat of government, as its situation afforded such excellent sport for the 
chase, which was always considered a kingly exercise, particularly as we step backwards into the ruder ages of the 
world. But, waving all probabilities, we may fairly conclude that this toWn made rapid advances during the 
heptarchy, or shortly after, since in the reign of Ethelred, the fifth Saxon king, in 866, it could, for a time stop the 
progress of a vast army of Danes, that had landed in the north ; and, after having burnt the city of York carried 
fire and sword, sparing neither age nor sex, till they arrived at Nottingham, which was then denominated a city and 
which, after great difficulty, was taken by the enemy, who therein took up their winter quarters 

Although we have accounted for the forming of many of the caverns in the rock, where it presents its stupendous 
front towards the south, by supposing them first to have been made as dwellings for the ancient Britons, and then 
converted tnto storehouses by the Saxons; yet there are many extraordinary vaults in the interior of the town, which 

C * 



s 



10 .INTRODUCTION 



have long been considered as objects of groat curiosity ; especially those around the great Market-place ; and one 
leading from Market-street, up Pilc.hcr-gate, and terminating near the mansion of the Jate John Sherwiri, Esq. now 
the property of .Mr. Hi, Bigsby, attorney-at-law. This immense vault is chiefly arched in a regular manner, and 
supported by columns, carved with capitals. Some parts of this vault, to all appearance, was originally designed for 
places of worship; and others for places of abode. Deering informs us, that it was discovered by one Edward 
Goddard, a bricklayer, who was living in his time. In one of the apartments were found a wooden cup and can; but 
when touched they mouldered to dust. Let us endeavour to account for the formation of these subterraneou* 
apartments. 

In the early part of the tenth century, many disputes arose between the married and the unmarried clergy; the 
parties alternately procuring each other's expulsion from the performance of the sacrcdotal duties, accordingly as 
each could make interest with the higher powers. In the reign of Edward the Martyr, it appears that the monks 
were in favor, to the complete exclusion of the married priests. But, about the year 975, some dreadful calamities 
befalling the country, such as the earth not yielding her increase, disorders among the cattle, &c, which the people looked 
upon as so many .curses sent from heaven, to punish them for the miseries which were endured by the married clergy 
and their families; in whose behalf, and in order to appease the wrath of heaven, the Duke of Mercia* destroyed the 
monasteries in his province ; cast out the monks, and gave their benefices to the married clergy. Under this change 
of circumstances is it not probable, that those hypocritical and disappointed monks would exhibit a strange austerity 
of morals, and shew a desire to live apart from the rest of society, in order ta excite compassion in the minds of the 
people, and stir them up in their defence? To enable them to carry on this farce the better, by an extraordinary 
appearance of sanctify and devotion, is it not highly probable, that they would procure the making of these 
subterraneous dwellings, as places of affected retirement and retreat? more particularly as this being a large town, 
that the more people might be within the hearing of their wailings, and have their feelings wrought upon in support 
of the holjf monkish cause. 

At the village of Dale, ten miles west of.this town, is a large cave in the side of a hill, which tradition informs us 
was, in ancient times, the retreat of holy men. Within the view of this cave an immense stone window-frame, 
belonging to an ancient abbey, still rears its majestic brow. 

While on this subject it may not be improper to speak of a cave of modern formation, which runs under a hill, 
called Dog-kennel-hill, on the west side of the road leading from St. Mary's workhouse to the Gallows-hill. This 
cave, which is the largest in the town, is the work of one James Ross, or Rouse, who, during thirty years, got sand 
in it, which he sold to the good housewives of the town to scatter upon their floors. Old age and infirmities 
compelled him, a few years age, to cease from his labour; and he retired to spend the remainder of his days in St. 
Nicholas's workhouse. The hills about the gallows, and those on the south side of the Derby road, leading from 
hence to Radford, have all beeu perforated to a considerable extent by persons getting a livelihood in the manner as 
did poor Ross ; but the caves near the gallows were chiefly filled up, and the scattered fragments of hills and rocks 
removed, in 1811, by the distressed mechanics and artizans of the town, who were employed to do the work by the 
overseers of St. Mary's parish, rather than take them and their families into the workhouse. While these poor 
fellows were at work on these hills they found more than thirty human skulls, and many other bones ; but the whole 
in so scattered a state, as to justify a supposition that they had been brought thither at the lowering of some one of 
the church yards. 

But to return to the antiquity of the town, and the bravery and patriotism of its inhabitants, which objects will be 
further illustrated by dropping a few more words on the invasions of the northern barbarians. The cold and 
uncultivated state of the regions those people inhabited had a natural tendency to contract the generous feelings, and 
enlightened ideas which give happiness to man, in proportion as they are diffused. Those people always living in 
a state, bordering upon anarchy; never obeying their chieftians, except when they led them on to plunder; possessing 
in an extraordinary degree, those principles which spurn at the chains of a master ; and the food the ate, and their 
general habits, all conspired to stamp their very features with relentless ferocity; and to propel them on to seek for 



* At the dissolution of the heptarchy, the kingdom of Mercia was converted into a dukedom. 



INTRODUCTION. ] 1 



happier climes; which the divisions of the Roman empire enabled them to obtain. Being enemies to learning 
themselves, they sought its destruction in others, hence books, as well as men, became objects whereon to vent their 
savage fury. And hence it is that we find so many chasms in the histories, both of nations and towns, where these 
barbarians once held dominion. But, if wc consider, that Nottingham, in 8G6, could make a serious stand against 
an army of Danes, that had ravaged and laid waste the greater part of the north of England; and, when compelled 
to submit, that it could furnish winter-quarters for this army, we must conclude that it contained a considerable 
number of brave fellows, whose habitations occupied a serious extent of ground. The imposing number, and 
consummate bravery of the inhabitants at that time, are fully established by the resistance they made to the Danes ; and 
the extent of the town is fully established by the great circumference of the wall which surrounded it, and which 
was erected by Edward, the elder, in 910. Then if we compare these positions with the diminutive state of the town, 
in the time of Edward the Confessor, we must conclude, that it had suffered much from the contentions for power by 
the northern invaders, in the intermediate time. For, in' Doomsday. book, it is stated that Nottingham contained 
only one hundred and twenty-three burgesses, and nineteen villains, without any other class of men being noticed ; 
which certainly would have been done, if any such had been found in it at the time; while it contained two hundred 
and Jifteen houses. This proves that much destruction had taken place; and that the inhabitants had either been 
slaughtered in their resi stance to their oppressors, or that they had fled for safety elsewhere--perhaps both ! But 
the most valuable part of the extract, from Doomsday-book, is that which proves this town to be a borough bit 
prescription ; it being admitted to be such before any charter, now extant, was granted to constitute it a borough. 
It also returned members to parliament, as early as the year 1283. 

Nottingham has also been independent of the county ever since the reign of Henry the Fifth ; and a county of itseif 

from the days of his successor. The following towns and cities likewise enjoy the like privilege; to wit: 

Berwick-upon-Tweed, Haverford-West, Kingston-upon-Null, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Poole, Southampton, Bristol, 
Canterbury, Chester, Coventry, Exeter, Gloucester, Lincoln, Lichfield, Loudon, Norwich, Worcester, and York. 

In the division of South Britain into twenty-eight petty kingdoms, prior to the invasion of the Romans, 
Nottingham belonged to that part, the people whereof were called Coritani ; and when the country was divided by 
Constantine the Great, in the early part of the fourth century, into four governments, it belonged to that division 
.called Maxima Caesaraeensis. 



TO JOHN SMITH, ESQUIRE, 
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE TOWN, 



AND 



LIEUTENANT-COLONEL COMMANDANT OF THE SECOND REGIMENT 

OF LOYAL LONDON VOLUNTEERS. 



SIR, 

&oLN Author, who, in dedicating his labours, searches among the tombs for materials 
with which to emblazon the character of his Patron, pays but a slender compliment to 
his own discrimination, and offers a very inadequate tribute of respect to the man, whose 
favor he is seeking to acquire. To tell a Gentleman that he inherits a thousand 
qualifications from his ancestors, when, in fact, his own virtues are scarcely known ; or 
when his vices are perhaps conspicuous, is to make a public exhibition of him, as a person 
whom mankind ought to shun. A writer who sacrifices truth at the shrine of adulation, 
burlesques himself, and deserves not the confidence of his readers; while a Gentleman 
who possesses not merits of his own to render hirn conspicuous in public, as well as in 
private life, is unfit to sanction a publication. 

I shall not, therefore, obtrude myself upon your notice by common-place panegyric 
on the virtues of your ancestors, though they have been long famed in Nottingham for 
acts of charity and benevolence, and for being trustees to the benefactions of others ; but 
shall confine myself to a statement of those qualities which always endear their possessor 
to that part of society, whose good opinion and esteem are of value. 

As a father of a family, and a pattern of conjugal fidelity, your character stands 
unrivalled, while your conduct in the Senate, as a lover of your country, and an admirer 
and defender of its constitution, has exalted you amongst the foremost of those, whose 

GREATEST GLORY IS, THE PROMOTION OF THEIR COUNTRY'S GOOD.'!! 

Under a firm persuasion that, during life, you will continue to rank among 
your country's best friends, and that you will use your utmost endeavours to restore the 
pristine purity of the constitution, I respectfully submit to your notice the History of 
your native Town, trusting you will find it an agreeable companion during some of 
your leisure hours. 

SIR, 
I have the honor to be, your very obedient and humble servant, 

JOHN BLACKNER. 



i 



THE 

HISTORY 



OF 



JV o t tin g ha W 9 

FROM THE EARLIEST ANTIQUITY 

TO 

Stye pvt$mt ®fme* 



CHAPTER I. 

CONTAINING OBSERVATIONS UPON THE STATE OF ITS ATMOSPHERE; ITS TOPOGRA- 
PHICAL DESCRIPTION; AND AN ACCOUNT OF ITS RIVERS, POOLS, BRIDGES, AND 
ROADS. 



When the observing and sentimental traveller from the south, has arrived upon Ruddington-hill, 
and his eyes are cast forwards, he beholds, with equal astonishment and admiration, the ancient 
and celebrated Town of Nottingham, extending itself irregularly over the summit, the sides, 
and at the foot of an almost perpendicular rock, which terminates the site, in a south-eastern 
direction, which was occupied by the extensive forest of Sherwood, so renowned in song 
and ancient story, for the valorous exploits of Robin Hood and Little John*. The 
prospect of Nottingham from Ruddington-hill, is doubly delightful to the approaching stranger, 
in the summer season ; for while the town exhibits an appearance similar to that presented 
towards the sea by the celebrated city of Genoa, the bold, decorative, and native scenery which 
surrounds it, almost beggars all description. 

The genial refulgence of the south and south-west sunbeams, which shine, unobstructedly, 
upon the gardens, and extensive fields and meadows of Nottingham; and the gently sloping 



* This ancient forest used to be visited in the summer season by great numbers of the merry-hearted mechanics and artizans of 
this town, with their wives and sweethearts, in what were called nutting parties, who took with them provisions and liquor for the day; 
and also a fidler, to whose melodious strains they capered ou the " light fantastic toe," until the sun bid his golden head in the western 
clouds. These happy sports, which revived in th€ mind the rural simplicity of the days of'yore, have been rapidly on the decline since, 
the year 1*792; and the various inclosures on the forest have brought them to a close. '" 

D 



14 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



hills, which rise in graceful succession to a considerable distance, sheltering the town, in a 
great measure, from the northern antl eastern blasts, unite in forming such grounds into a kind of 
natural hotbeds. And when these grounds are aided too by a requisite portion of industry, 
they present a luxuriance scarcely surpassed by any part of the kingdom. The floods, which, 
in the winter season, generally overflow the meadows, contribute much to their fertility; but 
when they happen in the summer season, they often do much damage, by laying- and nding 
the grass; or, if in harvest time, by sweeping away the hay. But more of til :< fter. 

As the traveller approaches the town, his eye is entertained on the righ' with the extensive 
view of the Vale of Belvoir, and the hanging woods and rural scenery of Co. the fai 

residence of the Musters's. In his front, and to the left, he beholds the flat open meado 
Nottingham, which spread open their flowery bosom to welcome him to the town; while furthc 
westwards he beholds the beautiful and towering structure of Wollaton Hall, the country 
residence of Lord Middleton*; and the rich fields of Beeston open to his view: the latter being 
diversified with plantations and the country seats of the wealthy tradesmen of Nottingham, 
who have acquired competencies by their industry or good fortune, where they live retired from 
the bustle and contention of the world. 

One of the diversifying beauties, in the landscape we have been describing, is the rolling 
of the majestic 

TREJYT. 

For a considerable distance, before this river reaches Nottingham, its rapid current nearly 
takes a northern direction ; but when it arrives at the foot of our meadows, it seems almost to 
make a stand, as though it were offering its finny store, and the use of its limpid stream, to the 
inhabitants of this town; after which it takes an eastern direction, and swiftly rolls along to seek 
its bed in the grand and tumultuous reservoir of the world. 

This river, which is the third in England, both for size and beauty, issues from three springs, 
between Congleton and Leek, in Staffordshire, flowing south through that county; and, having 
received the Tame, it takes a north-eastern direction, and enters Derbyshire, after its junction 
with the Dove ; crossing the northern angle of that county, and forming, for a short space, its 
separation from the counties of Leicester and Nottingham. It enters the latter county at its south 
western extremity, after having received the Denoent into its bosom. It then takes an oblique 
direction towards the eastern extremity of Nottinghamshire, forming, on the north-eastern 
angle of that county, the boundary between it and Lincolnshire, and then falls into the Humber, 
about twenty miles below Gainsborough. 

The rich productions of the inexhaustible mines and mountains of Derbyshire are brought down 
the Cromford canal, a junction being formed between it, the Erewash, and Nottingham canals, at 
Langley Mill, near Eastwood ; and about eight miles north-west from Nottingham. The Erewash 



* This majestic fabric was erected, by Sir Francis Willoughby, in the year 1588. The stone of which it i* built, he obtained from 
Ancaster, in Lincolnshire, in exchange for Wollaton-pit coal. 



TRENT. FLOODS. 15 



canal begins at the above-named junction; and, after skirting from thence the south-eastern 
extremity of Derbyshire, empties itself into the Trent at Sawley. The Nottingham canal also 
begins at the junction ; and, after passing through the liberties of Eastwood, Newthorpe, Cossal, 
Trowel, and Wollaton, (at all of which places, pit-coal is gotten in abundance,) and skirting the 
northern extremity of our meadows, it falls into the Trent, a little below the Trent bridge, nearly 
opposite the entrance into the Grantham canal. These continued advantages give a facility 
to the commerce of this town, which places it, in that respect, as it is in many others, almost 
without a rival, in the inland counties*. 

There is a company established by act of parliament, (which secures to the watermen one perch 
on each side of the river, as a haling-path,) to keep the course of the Trent clear from all 
obstructions; but this task they have not been able to perform; in consequence thereof, a branch 
of the Nottingham canal has been brought from the top of Beeston meadow to Lenton, which 
enables the boats to avoid the shoals of Wilford, so obstructive in the summer season. 

The Trent is accounted the glory of Nottinghamshire; and the only inconveniency arising 
from its waters is, its being subject to. great and frequent 

FLOODS. 

Deering informs us, in page 164, of a very remarkable flood, in 1683, which was occasioned 
by the breaking up of a frost, that began in September the preceding year, and lasted till the 5th of 
February in the year above named ; when the vast sheets of ice tore down part of the Trent bridge, 
which was rebuilt of stone by the Corporation ; the whole of it, prior to that time, being of 
wood. An account of a notable flood is handed down to us by tradition, generally called the 
Midsummer flood, which happened in 1728. The most remarkable flood, since that time, or 
perhaps before it, was occasioned by the breaking up of a frost, which began December the 
24th, 1794, and lasted till the 9th of February following ; during which intermediate time there 
was such a vast fall of snow as had not been equalled for many years ; nor was its quantity lessened 
by intermediate thaws. And when the thaw took place, it was so excessively rapid, that there was 
not a valley in the counties of Stafford, Derby, or Nottingham, but what was converted into a 
river, the current of which carried along, with irresisitble fury, vast sheets of ice, and half melted 
snow; posts, rails, timber, sheep, &c. into the Trent; which overflowed its banks to such a 
height, that the inhabitants of Narrow-marsh, and its vicinity (a street in this town running 
parallel with the meadows) were made prisoners in their habitations during two days and nights ; 
the water being upwards of three feet deep in some of their houses, which did considerable 
damage to their furniture. The house of Alderman Hornbuckle, and one known by the sign of 
the White Hart, (now the Star and Garter) then kept by an old maid of the name of Selby, were 



* It must be confessed, however, that the people of Nottingham have been miserably deceived respecting the price of coal; for 
instead of having that article cheaper, as was expected, through the conveyance of the canal, which was opened the 30th of July, 1793, 
the price has been considerably advanced. 



10 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



just above the water-mark; therefore, the height of this flood may be known, so long as those 
houses stand*. 

Northwards of the town, and at the extremity of its fields, formerly were two large coppices; 
but which are now cleared of their woody covering, and let on leases by the Corporation. In 
the copy which I have of Deering, the following words are written on one of the margins : — 
" These coppices, in 1712 and 13, had twenty burgess parts ; each part had twenty shillings paid 
by the Chamberlains." At the foot of these coppices a spring arises, and is joined by the stream of 
another, which arises about midway between it and the town ; the latter of which used to be walled 
around, and have an iron ladle chained to the wall, by the side of a trough, to enable passengers 
to drink. These rivulets, when united, form a current, which is called the River Beck ; which, 
after washing the eastern extremity of the town, falls into the Leen. This small river, during the 
last mentioned flood, was swelled to a prodigious degree, and intirely inundated Plat-street, and 
the adjoining yards, or streets, as they are now called, which compelled the inhabitants, who dwell 
in low kitchens in that neighbourhood, to seek shelter elsewhere. But the most damage which 
this flood did, within the liberties of Nottingham, was at the Leen bridge, and on the flood road ; 
the former, and as much of the adjacent road, as the county was compelled to keep in order, cost 
£550 repairing. The flood bridge, commonly called the Ten Arches, and which had very lately 
been erected, was so shattered, as to render all attemps to repair it ineffectual. 

There was a very large flood in May, 1787, which did much damage ; but it was not so high 
as that which was at its height on the 28th of February, 1809, when the water entered the houses 
in Narrow-marshf. 

Previous to the building of the Ten Arch Bridge, the common road, between the Leen and the 
Trent Bridges, was round two pools, except in time of high water, when there was a road over 
them, on wooden bridges, which had been erected for that purpose. When the road round the 
pools was dry, chains were fastened across the bridges which went over them ; and hence they 
were called Chainy Pools. The largest and deepest of these pools used to contain good store of 
fish ; but it is now intersected by the canal, and is daily filling up ; and the pleasure which the 
angler enjoyed on its banks is passed away, never to return. In 1766, the bridges which went 
over these pools were rebuilt, at the expense of the town ; they, however, are now removed, never 
to be replaced. We are now about to relate a circumstance or two, which to some may seem 
ill-timed, as we have not done with the Trent ; but, as the subject is connected with the 
mischievous consequences of the flood in 1795, we will enter upon it here. 

An act of parliament, bearing date the 19th of May, 1796, entitled an act for raising, 
maintaining, and keeping in repair, the road from the north end of the Old Trent bridge, to the 



* Throsby, in his account of this flood has described it twice; in page 71 , he says it happened on Sunday, February the 7th. And in 
page 129, he says it happened in March. Now, unfortunately for the correctness of Throsby, Sunday was on the 8th of February, in 
1795. The truth is, that this flood began on Monday the 9th of February; and on Tuesday it was at its height. The height of this and 
another flood has since been marked on the west side of the Seven Arch bridge. 

\ At this time, a whole street of houses was undermined in the city of Bath; and many of the miserable inhabitants were buried in tlj* 
•ruins. 



TRENT FLOODS. 17 



west end of St. Mary's Church-yard, by the way of Hollow-stone, in this town ; and for erecting- 
and maintaining- such, and so many flood bridges upon the said road, as may be necessary to carry 
off the flood water ; and for widening and improving the entrance into the town, by way of 
Hollow-stone, gives to twenty-five commissioners, the power of erecting a toll-bar on the said flood 
road, to enable them to carry the above designs into execution ; with this proviso, that they should, 
with all convenient speed, erect a sufficient number of bridges to carry off the water in times of 
need. 

In the ensuing August, the workmen began to remove the Ten Arch bridge ; when, by the 
springing of one of the arches, three of them lost their lives. 

A clause in the above-named act, more striking- then the rest, is, that which compels the 
Corporation of this town to pay £100 a year, out of an estate, which was given to them for quite a 
different purpose, towards keeping the flood road in repair. The reason assigned is, that they 
had voluntarily repaired it some time, which was to save the expense thereof to the parish of St. 
Marv ; and, as such, it became a disputed point in law, whether they were not liable to keep it in 
repair in future : to avoid litigation, the Corporation conceded the point*. Lest, however, from the 
strangeness of the circumstance, the reader should not give credit to the relation, I will give the 
clause in question, which is as follows : — " And whereas by royal charter, bearing date at 
" V; estminster, the twenty-first day of February, in the fifth year of the reign of his Majesty, 
■ c King Edward the Sixth, in consideration of the great burthens and expenses, by the Mayor and 
" Burgesses of the town of Nottingham, daily sustained in and about the amending, supporting, 
" and repairing their bridges upon the water of Trent, had determined to give, and confirm unto 
,c the said Mayor and Uurgesses of the town of Nottingham, and to their successors for ever, the 
<e lands, tenements, hereditaments, and other premises thereinafter expressed and specified, which 
" determination and grant would have been executed and fulfilled, if the death and decease of the 
" father of the said King Edward the Sixth had not prevented it, the said King Edward the Sixth 
" attentively contemplating, affecting, and considering the premises, and being willing entirely 
" to fulfil and perform the aforesaid promises of his father, to the aforesaid Mayor and Burgesses 
" of the said town of Nottingham, to the intent th^t the said Mayor and Burgesses might be better 
** ab'e to support and sustain the burthens of the repairs of the aforesaid bridges, did give and 
" grant to the said Mayor and Burgesses of the said town of Not ingham, for the repairs and 
" support of the aforesaid bridges, the messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments in the said 
" charter more particularly mentioned and described, then of late belonging the Chauntery of St. 
" Mary, and the Hospital of St. John, to hold and enjoy the aforesaid premises, with the 
" " appurtenances, unto the said Mayor' and Burgesses of the said town of Nottingham, and their 
'• successors for ever, to the purpose, use, and behalf of the said Mayor and Burgesses and their 
" successors for ever, to hold of the said King and his successors for ever, as of his Castle of 
" Nottingham, in free socage by fealty, in lieu of all other rents, services, and demands 



* When the canal was cnttine, the Corporation, a* I believe I am correctly informed, gave £~ to tie Cana! Com] any, towards 
raising the flood road, and building the Ten Arch bridge. 

E 



J S HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

" whatsoever : and whereas the said Mayor and Burgesses, by virtue of such charter, have ever 
'• since held and enjoyed certain messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the said 
" town and county of the town of Nottingham, which are called or known by the name of the 
• : Bridge Estate, some part of the rents, issues, and profits whereof, after being in the first place 
Ci applied to the repairs of the bridges over the river Trent, has for some years last past been 
" expended in the repairs of the road from the said bridges to the town of Nottingham, in 
" consequence whereof many doubts, questions, and differences have arisen, whether the said 
" Mayor and Burgesses, as the grantees of such Bridge Estate, are not chargable by law with 
" the repairs of the said road, in its former state of a wash road. And whereas, for the purpose 
cc of putting an end to such questions, differences and disputes, the said Mayor and Burgesses have 
" agreed to charge the said lands, tenements, and hereditaments, commonly called the Bridge 
" Estate, with a perpetual clear yearly rent charge, to the amount of £100, to be paid at such 
" times, and in such manner and proportions as are hereinafter directed by this act, to be for ever 
c: applied, in conjunction with the tolls hereinafter directed to be made payable in the repairs 
c ' of the said road, as a flood road, in consideration of the said Mayor and Burgesses, and the 
" said parish of St. Mary, in which the said road is situate, being by this act for ever exonerated 
" from any obligation, either by law or custom, or otherwise, to contribute to the repairs of the 
" said road, and from all costs, charges, and expense attending the same." 

By another clause in this act, it is enacted, that the Leen bridge is for ever taken out of the 
hands of the county ; and the ,£550 it cost repairing, in 1795, was to be paid back into the 
county stock by the commissioners of the said road. Thus the Corporation, for doing an act of 
kindness to the parish of St. Mary, and for facilitating the commerce of the town, are charged 
with the payment of £100 a year ; while the county, for merely doing its duty, and what it was 
compellable to do by law, has had a considerable sum of money refunded ; and is for ever 
exonerated from the charge of repairing the Leen bridge ! 

The commissioners, for carrying the provisions of this act into execution, after the ruins of the 
Ten Arch bridge were removed, caused, on the first of September, 1795, the first stone of the 
Seven Arch bridge to be laid. This bridge is a strong, bold, plain, and handsome stone 
structure, which promises fair to resist the rage of conflicting elements, many ages to come. In 
length it extends one hundred and twenty yards ; at each end it is twenty yards wide ; and in 
the centre, fifteen. On each side is a well constructed parapet, composed of huge blocks of stone, 
nearly as hard as granite. On the 21st of July, 1809, the foundation of nine culverts was laid, 
which culverts are connected with the Seven Arch bridge by a stone parapet, as is the Chainy 
Pool arch, which was rebuilt at the same time. The whole presents a noble appearance ; and 
takes off an immense quantity of flood water ; but still there wants another range of arches 
erecting, between the Leen bridge and the Seven Arches, to complete the object of the 
undertaking. 

We will now return to the Trent ; first giving an account of its Bridge, which leads from hence 
to Bridgford. Rapin, without reserve, states this bridge to have been built by Edward the Elder, 
in the year 924 ; probably to secure u communication with the garrison of this town ; and for the 



TRENT BRIDGE. 19 



o-reater facility of passing- his troops over the river, to oppose the inroads of the Danes. It is 
likewise stated by several historians, that Edward built the village of Bridgford at the same time, 
doubtless as a place of shelter for the soldiers, whose duty it was to defend this highly 

important pass. . 

It is contended by some people, that what Deering says of this bridge, as being wholly composed 
of wood, prior to the tremendous flood in 1683, is altogether fabulous, because, they think the 
present structure has a much older appearance, and as several of the arches are of a different 
construction to the rest. On this subject let our antiquary speak for himself. In page 164, he 
says, u There was a bridge over the Trent above an hundred years before the conquest, built by 
" order of King- Edward the Elder ; in the year 1683, when the ice tore away part of this bridge, 
te it had only stone piers, and the bridge itself was wood, built in the same manner as the two 
" small bridges are between this and the town bridge. Since which time it is entirely rebuilt of 
- <c stone, supported by twenty arches, at the expense of the Corporation." Here*, our author 
o-ives the time of the old bridge's destruction, the manner of its being destroyed, its formation, 
and the materials of which it was composed prior to such destruction, and also by whom it was 
rebuilt. And as he lived in the town within fifty years of the time when he states the bridge was 
washed down, he would have his account thereof from persons who were residing here at the time; 
and who saw the old one in ruins, and the new one built. In support of Deering's assertion, 
there is a stone in the eastern wall of the bridge, with a Mayor's and two Chamberlains' names, 
in a defaced condition, and the figures, according to Deering's statement, may be the date of the 
bridge's completion. And, though nine years is a longer time than may seem necessary for the 
erecting of such a bridge ; yet, all surprise on that head will cease, when it is considered, that the 
whole expense came out of the rental of the bridge estate, which would not be sufficient to meet such 
an expense in a shorter time, except the Corporation had mortgaged such estate. Nor does the 
circumstance of several of the arches being of a different construction to the rest, furnish any solid 
argument against Deering's assertion ; for they may have been erected in the place of others 
which might give way before the building was settled; and the Gothic points at the crown might 
be substituted for the common curve, under the idea of thereby obtaining additional strength. 
As to the bridge bearing external marks of the ravages of time, which seemingly may justify a 
conclusion of its more extended age, it should be remembered that no bridge can possibly stand 
more exposed than it does to the rage and vicissitudes of conflicting elements. It consists of 
seventeen archesf , and was so narrow at the southern end, that two carriages could scarcely pass ; 
until the Corporation, in 1806, ordered the eastern parapet to be rebuilt, and the arches to be 
lengthened; which has rendered it tolerably commodious. In 1810. a range of building, that 
stood at the eastern side of the northern end, was taken down ; when this end of the bridge also, 
"svas widened; as well as the bridge over what is called the Old Trent. 






* We are told, that the fir.t stone bridge that was built in Ensiaod was erected by Matilda, Queen to Henry the First, at Stratfuidj 
which being aich.d like a bow, gave the name of Str<tford-le-!>ow to the town. — History of Stamford. 

-f- ! he number of arches, mf-ntioued in Dctrin^, may have been occasioned by a mistake of the printer. 



20 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Dr. Thornton says, from an escheat roll of the 30th of Edward the First, that this bridge bore 
the name of Heath')tth-brig : which in Deering we find rendered Highbath bridge, from 
the Sumo language; an appellation supposed to have originated from a number of wooden 
coverings having been erected just above it. to conceal people from the eye of the passenger, 
while in the act of bathing ; two of which were standing upon piles in our author's day. 
The entire removal of these coverings reflects do great credit on the present age ; for the 
indecency and danger of public bathing in the Trent are too conspicuous to require anv 
illustration here. 

From the same escheat roll. Dr. Thornton gives us the following extract: " That the jury found 
• i[ oof to the King's loss, if he granted licence to John le Pawner, and to Alice his wife [who 
was sister and heir of i.ugh de- Stapleford. son of Robert de Stapleford, of Nottingham. i to 
■ .4*6 13s. od. rent, with the appurtenances in Nottingham, to a certain chaplain, to celebrate 
•-* divine o ffi c es for the souls. tec in the chapel of St. Alary, on Hethbeth-brig." To which extract 
Deering subjoins. n where, in the doctor's time, there was an arch, which went still bv the name 
• of chapel arch, but at this time it is not remembered by anv bodv I have met with." Our 
author conceives this chapel to have stood near the road, and between the south end of the bridge 
and a plot of land called Lady Bay. which forms the eastern boundary of the town's liberties ; 
and to which, he supposes, this chapel might give the name. For three reasons this solution 
appears to me improper : first, because, if this chapel stood so far from the main road, passengers 
rid pass by unnoticing and unnoticed: and, consequently, lose the benefit of the prayers, and 
the priest, the profits resulting from their credulity. Secondly, because the plot of ground called 
Lady Bay. very probably took its name from being the pasture of my Lady's Bay Mare, or a 
mare called Lady Bay. Thirdly, and which is by far the most powerful argument against 
Deering's opinion, Thoroton says expressly, that the chapel stood upon the bridge ; therefore 
it could not stand near Lady Bay. If I may hazard a conjecture respecting this chapel, it is, 
that it stood at the western corner of the northern abutment of the bridge, near the public-house ; 
and that opposite to it stood a watch-house, on part of the foundation of which stood that buildin°- 
which was taken down in 1S1U. I am strengthened in this opinion from the known practice of the 
R rmsa priests, in causing chapels to be erected near straight passes, which enabled them to work 
upon the superstitious feelings of passengers, exciting their benevolence in support of hypocrisy 
and fraud. 

Diring the troubles in this town, which were occasioned by the feuds between Charles and his 
parliament, there was a fort erected at the Trent bridge, which was alternatelv possessed bv the 
Nottingham republicans, and the Newark royalists : and which Deering considers to have stood upon 
Hooper's Sconce; but the publication of the memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson has completely 
refuted this opinion : though, from the meaning of the word Sconce, he judged rightly that a fort 
had been erected on the spot. For, one winter, when fortune smiled upon the Newarkers. thev 
sought to lay this town in ashes; to prevent which. Colonel Hatchinson inundated the meadows, 
and caused Hooper, one of his engineers, to erect a fort on the southern bank of Tinker's Leen 
by where the bridge stands,, which leads from the high bridge over the canal to Wilford-ferrv 



TRENT. BRIDGE. 21 



where is still a small elevation ; and by means of this fort the Colonel was enabled to command 
the Trent-lane ; i. e. the flood road; and to frustrate the designs of the Newarkers.* 

The fort mentioned by Whitelock, from whom and from tradition, Deering obtained his 
information on the subject, stood near the north end of the Trent bridge ; for, Mrs. Hutchinson 
says (and she was an eye witness) when the Colonel and his men were making their approaches to 
take it, that they got possession of a small island, or sand bank, a little above the bridge; and 
that the besiegers and besieged could converse together, " as they were, at furthest, within 
" carbine shot." The military works on the Rye-hills, or Royals, as the high part of the meadows is 
called, which were visible a few years ago, no doubt were the remains of the trenches cut by the 
Colonel, to secure his men from the enemy's fire, while he was making his approaches to the fort, 
as he was several days and nights engaged in the undertaking ; notwithstanding which, he had 
but three men wounded on the occasion. When the Newarkers saw the invincible bravery of the 
Colonel and his men, they deserted the fort in the night ; and, such was their panic, that they 
broke up two arches of the bridge, to prevent an immediate pursuit. The possession of this fort, 
to the Colonel, was of very great importance, as, when it was occupied by the enemy, the town 
was in constant danger, and his means of receiving succours from the south were rendered very 
precarious. The reader will be enabled to form an opinion of the magnitude of this fort, when 
he is told, that the Newarkers left in it, eighty sheep, an hundred loads of coal, twenty quarters 
of oats, much hay, and a great quantity of lead. 

At a small distance from the north end of the great bridge, is a dead water, over which is a 
bridge of one arch, which water is known by the name of the Old Trent ; the course of the river 
having evidently been changed, for a short space, by the power of man ; but at what time is 
uncertain, probably when the bridge was built by Edward the Elder. Between the bridge and 
Wilford ferry-boat there are also, evident marks of the river's having run further north, than it does 
at present; and the current T there is constantly endeavouring to force itself to the south. The water's 
surface at the bridge is sixty-one feet four inches higher than where it. falls into the Humber. 

The Trent has long been famous for the value and variety of its fish ; so much so, that one of 
our poets thought well to compose the following stanza on the subject : 

" The beauteous Trent within itself enseams, 
u Thirty kinds of fish, and thirty different streams." 

It is recorded in Doomsday-book, that the burgesses of Nottingham complained of being 
prohibited from fishing in the Trent. This proves, beyond all doubt, that they possessed the right 
of fishing in this river, coeval with their burgess tenure ; a tenure, which, according to the learned 
civilian, Serjeant Hey wood, they hold by prescriptive right, and not as ( royal a boon. This 
complaint proves also, that they had been deprived of this right; probably by William the 

* Tinkers Leen is a small rivulet, meandering in an eastern directios along the meadows ; it being the product of several contiguous 
springs, and the draiDings of the meadows. It passes under the canal at the seven arches, and then finds its way to the I.ecn. There used 
to be two plank bridges over it, one leading to Wiiford-ferry, and the other to the pander's house ; hut, in 1309, the Corporation 9a u^ed 
good bridges to be erected in their stead ; and others in various parts of the meadows. 



22 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Conqueror, to "ratify William Peveral, his bastard son; for we find the latter, in the reign of ' 
Henry the First, granting- the tithe of this fishery to the monks at Lenton ; while it is reasonable 
to conclude, that he kept the rest for himself. It is also fair to conclude, when Peveral and his 
ilcscendents lost ail power in these parts, that the burgesses resumed their right of fishing in the 
Trent ; which right they still possess, within the liberties of the town. 

Deering represents the practice of the people of Nottingham going a fishing as a cover for 
idleness. In some instances he may be right; but, as a general practice, I beg leave to differ 
from him; for if exercise and recreation were to be denied to the sedentary mechanics and 
artizans, they would soon be eaten up with rheumatisms, asthmas, and consumptions, for want of 
action to aid the stomach in the office of digestion, and to keep the animal juices in due order and 
circulation. Our author likewise gives us the following alphabetical list of fish which are caught 
in the Trent. To wit: barbel, bream, bulhead, burbot, carp, chub, crayfish, dace, eel, flounder, 
grayling, gudgeon, lampern, lamprey, loach, minow, muscle, perch, pike, roach, rud, ruff, salmon, 
salmon-trout, salmon-pink, sand-eel, shad, smelt, strikleback, sturgeon, stream-pink, tench, trout, 
and whitling; in all, thirty-four. 

Respecting the etymology of the name of this river authors disagree. Baxter, according to 
Deering, supposes it to have been of Roman origin, and gives us Troventio for its name; while he 
says Ravesmas called it Troantia.. On this subject I shall give Deering's words, as being 
consonant with my own opinion. He says, " I shall not mispend my time in any further fruitless 
ic etymological inquiry, but take the Saxon name from Camden, which is, Trconta. This might 
" very ea ily, in process of time, lose the o, and become Trenta, which is the name I find in all 
" charters and records wheresoever this river is named." 

Before quitting this noble river, we will drop a few observations on the influence it has on the 
atmosphere, and how far it is probable, such influence may tend to promote the health of the 
inhabitants of this town. When the sun has hid his refulgent head beneath the western horizon, 
and ceases to rarify our atmosphere with his beams, the effluvia, which exude from ordure, 
unswept kennels, butchers' shops, fellmongers' vats, &c. condense into noxious vapours, which, 
for want of some attractive power to draw them away, often prove the source of pestilential fevers, 
and other distempers, destructive to the human frame. But here, no sooner does the atmosphere 
regain a sufficient degree of gravity, from the enlivening dawn of the east, to enable it to bear up 
the fogs and vapours from the surface of the earth, than the impetuous current of the Trent drags 
them along, by means of its attractive power, till they are lost in the refreshing breezes on the coast. 
This beneficent influence will be more apparent to the reader, if he will notice, that, in the winter 
season, when the sun has scarcely the power of rarifying the atmosphere, the meadows will 
frequently be clear, in consequence of their propinquity to the Trent, while the forest air is hazy 
and thick ; particularly in a forenoon, when the atmosphere has not obtained a sufficient degree of 
elasticity to enable it to bear up the fogs and vapours above the level of the hills, so as to bring 1 
them within the attractive power of the Trent. The flat and delightful vale, which is bounded on one 
side by the sloping hills of Clifton and Ruddington, and on the other by those of Beeston, Not- 
tingham, Colwick, and Carlton, and which receives the frequent breezes from the west, south-west, 
and north-west, operates as a conductor to the foggy and noxious vapours which arise in this town ; 



LEEN. 23 



and likewise to the tempests which gather in the higher regions : hence so few dreadful thunder 
storms about this town, to what there are in those parts of the kingdom where the like advantages 
are not enjoyed. For, except the atmosphere be so destitute of elastic power, as not to be able 
to bear the congregated bodies of sulphur and nitre, above the lower current of the air ; and the 
wind blows from the east, south-east, or north-east, the growling thunder will threaten us in vain 
with the effects of its fury ; and when these circumstances do not combine to keep the gathering 
tempest lowering over our heads, we see it riding in awful majesty down the current of air, which 
is drawn by the sweeping waters of the Trent. 

To these operations of nature is to be attributed the resistance which the plague met with in the 
south part of the town in 1667, as much as from the influence of the effluvium exuding from 
tanner's ouze. It is probable however, that the burning of tanner's knobs might, in a considerable 
degree, aswage this destructive visitation ; and so would the burning of any thing else ; for the 
fire, by rarifying the foul vapours, and thereby giving them expansion, creates a vacuum, which 
is immediately filled up by purer air rushing in*. In the year above-named, when people took 
shelter in Narrow-marsh to avoid the plague, as none died of it in that neighbourhood, there were 
forty-seven tanner's yards in that street. In 1801, when a fever was raging in all the higher parts 
of the town, and in its vicinity, there was but one tanner's yard in that street ; yet, but very few 
dangerous symptoms appeared in it during the time the fever was raging. But while people could 
be found, sufficiently credulous to believe, that the scrofula could be cured by the touch of a king, 
no wonder they should also believe, that the plague was wholly arrested in its progress by the 
effluvium arising from tanner's ouze. 

We will conclude our remarks on the river Trent by noticing a circumstance which is mentioned 
by Dr. Plot, in his history of Staffordshire. The Doctor informs us that, in the reign of Queen 
Mary, two parishes within a mile of Nottingham, had many of their houses and churches blown 
down by a hurricane ; and that the water, with the mud of the river Trent, which runs between 
the two towns, were carried a quarter of a mile, and flew with such violence against some trees, as 
to tear them up by the roots. Though the Doctor does not inform us what villages these were ; 
yet, according to the description he gives of their situation, it appears that Wilford and Snenton 
were the villages alluded to. Throsby would persuade us, that Snenton and Gedling are the 
villages ; but he had forgotten that they are both on one side of the Trent ; and that Gedling is 
four miles from Nottingham. 

RIVER LEEJY. 

When the traveller has passed over our canal, where coal, timber, corn, iron, stone, slate, plaster, 
manure, and tile wharfs abound, with their contiguous warehouses ; and where industry sits 
laughing on the labourer's brow, he next comes, at the distance of a few paces, to the River Leejj, 
which is, in fact, the common sewer of the town. 



* The plague, which raged with such \iolence in London, in 1665, was not eradicated till a great part of the city was hurnt down the 
following year. 



24 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



This little river takes its rise in the ancient forest of Sherwood, not far from Newstead Hall*. 
Then passing- through Papplewick, Hucknall, Bulwell Basford, and Lenton ; then by the 
south-eastern borders of our park, and skirting- the northern extremity of the meadows, it falls into 
the Trent a little below the bridge ; though the following extract from the perambulation of the 
forest of Sherwood, in the Sixteenth of Henry the Third, will prove, that in ancient times it 
entered the Trent opposite Wilford church, where the old course is still preserved. " The 
"boundaries of the forest came down, according to the course of the Leen, to Lenton, and from 
■' thence as the same water was wont of old times to run into the water of Trent." The last part 
of this extract proves, that the course of this river, from Lenton to where it enters the Trent, 
(which to every eye carries the appearance of being artificial) was made long before the time of 
Henry the Third; and there is strong reason to conclude, that it was made by William the 
Conqueror ; who, in order to render the then, newly erected castle of Nottingham a place of 
security, would find it necessary to bring the Leen by its foot ; as well to supply it with water, as 
to grind corn for the use of the garrison. 

At what time a bridge was built over this river, as a communication between the town and the 
meadows, is uncertain ; but the fair conclusion is, that it was built at the time the course of 
the river was altered; because without it the meadows would be cut off from the town. Dr. Thoroton 
informs us, that in the Tenth of King John, the repairing of this bridge was undertaken by the 
brethren of the hospital of St. John the Baptist, in Nottingham ; and, though Deering attempts to 
disprove this opinion, and leaves it unsettled, I shall not enter into the dispute ; conceiving it of 
no consequence. It would seem, however, that Dr. Thoroton was wrong : for, by an inquisition 
taken about the Leen bridge in the Thirty-sixth of Henry the Eighth, by whom the property 
belonging to the hospital of St. John, was seized, it is expressed, that the said great bridge over 
the Leen, has, from time immemorial, been upheld and repaired by the town of Nottingham, and 
the several wapentacks or hundreds of the county : the town keeping the two northern arches 
in repair, and part of the crown between the second and the third ; and the different hundreds of 
the county the other eighteen, according to their several proportions, which it is unnecessary to 
enumerate, as the commissioners for the flood road have taken charge of the wholef. 

In 1765 the old bridge was taken down, it being found too narrow a thoroughfare for the 
increasing trade of the town ; and the entrance from it, which formed an angle to the west, 
passing behind the Red Lion inn, and forming an oblique turn to the bottom of Hollowstone, is 
now brought to the east of the Red Lion inn ; and thus the dangerous angle is cut off. The 
present bridge consists of three good brick arches ; and under the northern one is a bath, supplied 
by a spring which rises on the spot ; but it is rarely used, on account of its exposed situation. 



* This fine seat, the property of Lord Byron, was, from the time of Henry the Second to that of Henry the Eighth, a house of regular 
Augustine Canons ; after which it was converted into one of the most beautiful seats in England. 

t Sir Thomas Parkyns, in his " Queries and Reasons," printed in 1724, says, " the Corporation have lately Bet up a Toll-House on their 
Trent Bridge, and unreasonably exacted a Toll of, and from the County of Nottingham, though they themselves cannot get into their own 
Town, without going over our Leen Bridge, of thirty-two arches, built, and at this very day repaired in proportion by the seven hundreds of 
our County." 



WATERWORKS. 25 



Leland informs us, that the old bridge, was a good stone bridge, one arch of which is still 
standing under Mrs. Smalley's bakehouse, which is the first house at the east end of Narrow-marsh, 
on the southern side of the street. Several of the old piers were found, a few years ago, when the 
workmen were preparing the foundation of the canal inn, and other buildings, betwixt the Leen 
and Canal, on the west side of the flood road ; and such was the nature of the stone, and the 
cement with which it was connected, as, seemingly to bid defiance to the ravages of a thousand 
years. When Colonel Hutchinson, in Charles the First's reign, was assailed by envious defection 
within the town, and by superior numbers without, he broke up several of the arches of this 
bridge, to prevent a surprise ; but as internal peace and prosperity soon ensued, under the stern 
protectorship of Cromwell, it is probable they were shortly rebuilt. 

In Magna Britannica mention is made of the Mill-place ; a piece of meadow land called 
Mill-dam; and the Castle-mills; the two former being contiguous to, and the latter upon the river 
Leen. I cannot find any spot designated by the name of J\l ill-place ; but that formerly known 
by the name of Mill-dam, is what is now called Spaio-close, opposite to the castle. Taking it for 
granted that the castle mills stood near this spot, it justifies a traditional account, that a mill, or mills, 
once stood at the foot of the castle rock, on the verge of Brewhouse-yard. It also justifies the 
opinion, of the river having been brought down to Nottingham for one of the purposes before 

WATERWORKS. 

The Waterwork Company, whose engine stands at the bottom of Finkhill'Street, and at the 
eastern extremity of the Duke of Newcastle's estate, obtained their lease of the Corporation in the 
year 1898. The main wheel of this hydraulic machine sets in motion a number of crank levers, 
and is itself moved, like the great waterwork wheels. at London bridge, by the power of the water, 
with which it supplies the town : leaden pipes are laid from the engine, which supply some of the 
lower parts of the town with water ; while the higher parts are supplied from a cistern behind 
the General Hospital, into which the water is forced up from the engine through a main pipe. 

Until the year 1782, when Thomas Hancock was chosen engineer, the company made but little 
progress, either in serving themselves or the public; since which time, through his ingenuity, 
their affairs have gone on in a prosperous way ; but, on the 21st of November, 1805, this valuable 
member of society was lost to them, to his family, and to the world. His loss will be long deplored 
by every lover of social order and conviviality, who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He 
possessed a quick apprehension, a clear understanding, a sound judgment, and a heart attuned 
to the finest touch of sensibility and benevolence. — Nature formed him a mechanic and a 
philosopher; and by dint of application, without the aid of a liberal education, he became an 
adept in optics and chemistry ; and he obtained a comprehensive penetration into, and a clear 
understanding of the passions and governing principles of the human mind — He was my friend, as far 



* In IS 13 the southern bank of the Lsen, from Finkhill-street to Turncalf-alley, was faced with stone, which was got on Mapperley-hilb. 
The only mill now remaining upon the Leen, within the liberties of this town, stands near the bottom of Ten-bells-yard, which is opposite 
to the county gaol. Until the canal was cut, a road used to pass over the Leen into the meadows, close by this mill. 

G 



20 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM, 



as a desire to aid my then, and, I hope, still expanding* mind, and a congeniality of sentiment, could 
make him so ; and this, with a tear of affection, is the only tribute I can pay to his departed manes. 
Could his spirit now hover over me, and be also endued with the power of articulation, he would 
say, with his usual engaging smile, "" my friend, endeavour to imitate me in all my actions, 
" which can, with justice, be set down on the side of virtue ; but let the remembrance of my errors 
f * be hid in eternal sleep." i i is likeness was taken by Mr. Bonnington, and, after his death, it was 
engraved and sold for the benefit of his widow. The Waterwork Company too, to their eternal honor 
be it spoken, assigned a part of the engine-house as an asylum for Mrs. H. during her widowhood; 
and directed an annual stipend to be paid her also; which, with a little industry, will screen her 
from the scoffs and frowns of those contemptible abortions of nature, that sport with the widow's 
sufferings, because they know she has lost her protecting friend. — Reader, pardon this digression . 
it was due to a departed friend and departed worth, and to thyself, as an example, that thine actions 
may be useful to mankind. And, if I have erred, in this respect, be pleased to place such error to 
the account of the heart. 

Independent of the water engine, many parts of the town are supplied with water by pumps, erected 
by the Corporation, within about the last thirty years; which stand in the following places, viz. one at 
the west end pf Chapel-bar ; two in Parliament-street, one of which is nearly opposite to the end 
of Sheep-lane, and the other near the top of Clumber-street ; one at the top of Charlotte-street ; 
one near guildhall, close by the spot where stood the weekday-cross ; one in the shambles ; one in 
front of the exchange ; one upon Beastmarket-hill ; and one opposite to the south end of 
Sheep-lane, near where stood the malt-cross ; the latter of which pumps was removed soon after 
the cross was taken down. That this pump was erected for the public good, and taken away for 
the same purpose, to some may seem paradoxical; yet this was the case. As it stood near the centre 
of the entrance into the market-place it was an eyesore in the day, and an object of danger in the 
night ; and, as the ordure, which accumulated year after year in the vaults on the Long-row had so 
far penetrated the rock as to ooze into the well, which rendered the water, at times, quite nauseous 
to the taste, and altogether unfit for culinary purposes.* 

The springs within the liberties of the town, which are of any note, are, Trough-close spring, 
near Mapperley-hills ; Beycroft-spring, and Rag-spring, the two latter of which are near the road 
leading from this town to St. Ann's-well, and are in fame for curing sore eyes. The spaw, in spavv 
close, just opposite to the castle, was, by far, of the greatest repute, its water being of a strong- 
chalybeate quality, and very bracing to the nerves. But, in 1811, the close was fenced on the leen 
bank side, and the spring-head was removed without the fence, in which a semi-circle was made for 
its admission. This unjustifiable removal of the head, has been the ruin of the spring ; for, in dry 
weather, it ceases to flow ; whereas, when in its former, and natural situation, it flowed in all seasons. 
And that situation too was rendered still more desirable from another spring rising near to it, 
whose water was of a smooth and emolient quality, and very useful to sore eyes. The principal 



* Various attempts have bpen made by Mr. Waiker, builder, on Tollhouse-hill, to supply the town with the delectable. water of Sion-hil t> 
but the object has not been accomplished ; but, let us hope it is not given up. 






BATHS ROADS. 27 



inhabitants of the town are very blameable for suffering 1 parsimony and cupidity to remove a public 
benefit, which, very possibly, may never be restored. 

The pump water is of a hard and curdling- quality, which renders it unfit for the purpose of 
washing ; therefore those housekeepers who are not supplied from the engine are under the necessity 
of buying washing water of persons who fetch it from the Leen or canal ; many use it also for 
culinary purposes, and in so doing they act rightly, as it is more congenial to the animal fluids, and 
less likely to create the stone and gravel in the kidneys and bladder ; complaints which are rather 
prevalent in this town. 

PUBLIC BATHS. 

In most of the inland parts of England, one would think that the physicians had conspired to 
prevent the use of public baths, in order to the furtherance of their trade ; or that the inhabitants 
thereof appreciate the value of their health very differently from other people, both in ancient and 
modern times. For though the practice of bathing is generally considered the dsrnier resort for 
the restoration of debilitated constitutions, yet the construction of public baths is almost entirely 
neglected. These observations are particularly applicable to Nottingham ; for, excepting the 
badly constructed and badly accommodated bath, under the Leen bridge, the small one belonging 
to Miss Barnsdall, between the Leen and the canal, opposite to Navigation-row, is the only one in 
the town. There is one at St. Ann's-well ; but its distance from the town, and the slovenly manner 
in which the house and bath-apartments were long kept, have caused it to be almost deserted. 

PUBLIC ROADS. 

The road from Loughborough to this town, till the year 1738, was almost impassable, when an act 
was obtained to put it in repair ; which, under the superintendance of Alderman Cooper, of 
Leicester, was immediately carried into effect. In 1758, acts were also obtained for the making 
of turnpike roads from hence to Derby, Grantham, and Alfreton ; in short, turn in what direction 
you may from this town, you will find the roads in general in excellent condition. 

Until 1740, the road from Chapel-bar to the top of the Sand-hills was a deep hollow way ; at 
which time Lord Middleton obtained permission of the Corporation to raise it, by casting the 
hills into it which lay on both sides. The workmen, in performing the undertaking, found several 
rock walls, which appeared to have been partitions between distinct rooms; and, as they presented 
no marks either of Saxon or Roman formation, they were concluded to be of British construction. 
In 1811, this road was again heightened and improved : a footpath was made on the south side ; 
and that on the north side was paved, and lighted with lamps.* 

The south entrance into the town is through the Hollowstone ; a street cut through the solid 
rock ; and was formerly so narrow as to admit of but one carriage passing at a time ; but, on 
account of a man being killed in it, in 1740, the Corporation, at their own expense, caused the 
road to be so much widened, as to admit of two carriages passing; and in some places three. In 



* About this time the road was stopped in St. George's close, which led to the Wheyhouse ; in consequence of the mischief done to the 
young trees, whi h the proprietor had previously planted in the hedge-row. 



28 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



1S00. it was again widened by the commissioners of the flood road ; and the house of Mr: Barber, 
grocer, at the south-west (iorner, was taken down and rebuilt more westward: the White Lion 
public-house, on the west side of the street, was also taken down ; and the licence removed to a 
house on the opposite side ; the road, at the same time, being- so much heightened, as to render it 
necessary for the second floors of the old houses on the east side to be converted into the first 
floors. The heightening of the road from the Leen bridge to the entrance into Hollowstone was 
rendering an essential service to the public; as prior to that time, particularly till the alteration in 
1740, it was a mere filthy bog. 

At the entrance into this hollow way stood one of the ancient town gates, and over it a portcullis; 
evident marks of which were remaining- till the last mentioned year. This gate was standing, 
about the year 1538, when Leland visited the town; for he says, " The gates were all down, 
" saving two or three ;" and, beyond all doubt, this was one of those then standing. Just at the 
south-western elbow of the road, was a cavity which would hold twenty men, with stone benches 
and a fire-place, and a flight of steps which led to the top of the rock : the room having- been used 
as a guardhouse; while a sentinel could go up the steps in safety, to see if an enemy were near 
Peering conjectures that this guardhouse was made by the parliamentary troops in the time of 
Charles the First. That it was used by them, there can be little doubt ; but the probability is, that it 
was made at the time the hollow was cut and the gate erected. 

The only other gate, a particular description of which history has preserved, was that which 
stood at the western entrance into Chapel-bar : it was taken down in 1743, "Under it on each 
'* side," says Deering, " was an arched room of a pentagonal figure, of which that which had a 
" door opening under the middle of the gate was a guardroom; the other, the door of which faced 
" the east, was a chapel for the conveniency of the guard ; hence the name of Chapel-bar." Long- 
before the gate was taken down, this chapel was converted into a brewhouse, as an appendage to 
the inn at the north-west corner of Chapel-bar ; on which occasion a wag wrote the following lines, 

" Here priests of old turned wafers into God, 

tl And gave poor laymen bread for flesh and blood ; 

" But now a liquid myst'ry's here set up, 

" Where priests and laymen both, partake the cup." 

The top of the arch over the gate was well earthed, and cultivated as a pleasure garden, in 
which grew a large sycamore tree; and, in the summer season, beds of tulips displayed their 
varigated beauties ; while on the southern corner stood an arbour, in which six people might regale 
themselves, and which was gracefully shaded by the foliage of the tree. 

These Babylonian beauties now are fled ; 
And in their place trade rears her busy head.* 



* Deering states, that some old people informed him, that they could remember the remains of a stone gate at the top of Lister-gate, 
and, from the name of gate being applied to the street, and the propriety of a common entrance into the town in that direction through 
the wall, I have no doubt as to the fact of a gate having stood in that place. Tradition informs us also, that a gate stood near the top of 
Clumber-street, which, if the account be correct, must have been erected at the time the wall was-bttilt. It is clear, however, that 
nothing remained of these gates, sufficient to attract the attention of Spede in 161'(K 



MEADOWS. 29 



The width of this street is twenty-six feet, including two feet on each side appropriated to foot 
passengers; a space quite too narrow for so important an entrance, which opens into the 
heart of the market-place. Some old buildings were taken down in 181 1 , on the south side, which 
has added seventeen feet to the width of the street ; but there are others standing, which retard the 
accomplishment of the patriotic object of those gentlemen who planned the improvement, and 
sought, by personal donations, to render it complete. 

MEADOWS. 

Oft when the sun has hid his refulgent head behind the western hills, and, while fringing with 
his departing beams the lingering clouds, have I trod these delightful meads, with a mind stored 
with a mixture of gloomy and pleasing sensations. How oft have I, in these contemplative moods, 
sent up a fervent prayer, that the restless hand of power, or the spirit of internal discord never 
may again be permitted to spoil the native beauty of the spiring blade, the mellifluent sweets of 
the daisy, the crocus, and the buttercup, with destructive dissentions ; nor again incarnadine them 
with streams of human blood. On one side your ears are struck with a confused sound arising 
from the voices of conversing thousands, and the motion of their feet ; and on the other with a 
hollow murmur, occasioned by the rolling of the Trent : while the romantic figure of the town 
seems as though it were rising to meet the darkening and descending clouds. How pleasing it is 
to the contemplative philosopher, when industry has laid down her implements, to see her numerous 
offspring, both young and old, rush into these meadows to brace their toil-relaxed nerves with the 
refreshing breezes of the evening ; and, while they inhale the odour of the flowery herbage, or 
of the new mown hay, join in social conversation, or in the sportive romp ! While some are 
sympathizing over the miseries brought upon mankind by the hand of oppression, the crush of 
empires, and the clang of arms ; others are adoring the bounty of divine providence ; and others 
again are enjoying, by anticipation, the sweets of connubial love. The restless stateman who sets 
the world at odds ; and the blood-stained warrior, who delights in the slaughter of his fellow men, 
will seek in vain, in the evening of their days, for that serenity of soul, which the philosopher 
enjoys in viewing scenes like these. 

These meadows contain 283 acres, comprehending the west croft, which lies between the 
Tinker's Leen and the canal ; and is divided into sixteen burgess parts. The land is the property 
of many ; but it is commonable to the burgesses at large, from the 6th of July to old Candlemas 
day ; that is, they turn in on the 6th of July ; and on the 13th of August, they drive out for the purpose 
of letting the herbage grow ; and, on the 3d of October, they turn in again, when the cattle 
remain till old Candlemas-day. Each burgess having a right to the pasturage of three head of cattle, 
or forty-five sheep. The east-croft consists of thirty-five burgess-parts, and three acres and one 
rood, which is called, the Pinder'sfee ; and is divided from the meadows by the flood road and canal ; 
it contains 51 acres, 2 roods, 31 perches, and used to be open to the burgesses under the following 
regulations — from the 19th of September to old Martinmas-day,, each burgess has a right to the 
pasturage of three head of cattle, on paying for each horse one shilling and five-pence, and 
thirteen-pence for each cow. to the Chamberlains, who account for twelve -gaits for the Corporation, 

H 



30 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



which belong- to the Mayor, the Chamberlains, and Town Sergeants. In September, 1814, an 
order of hall was passed by the Corporation, which directs, that two shillings and six-pence shall 
be paid for the depasturing- each cow, and three shillings for each horse. Out of the money so 
collected, the pounder for the meadows receives one penny for every head of cattle ; and he and 
the field pounder have each a right to turn in three head of cattle. On the south bank of the 
Trent, and adjoining the bridge, is a close called Over Trent-close, which is divided among the 
aldermen ; each one having his part allotted to him at the time of his election ; on which account 
it is also called the aldermen's parts. If an alderman become reduced in circumstances, and 
resign his gown, it is no uncommon thing to have a pension granted him by the Corporation, 
during life, and the life of his consort, if she be the longer liver. There is another piece of land 
called St. George's close, containing about six acres ; and is the sole property of the Corporation : 
it is bounded on the east by the whey-house farm ; on the south west by the boat-close, and on the 
west and north by the meadows. There is also a portion of land on the north side of the town 
called the Hunger-hills, which is the property of the Corporation ; and which has long been 
parcelled out by them into burgess-parts ; and is now converted into gardens. — I strongly suspect 
that that part of the whey-house farm and that part of Greasley's pasture, which lie within the 
jurisdiction of the town, have, at some distant period, belonged to the Mayor and burgesses; as 
the stones which mark ssuch jurisdiction, and which contain the names of the Mayor and 
Chamberlains of the year of their erection, are found in them both. There is a traditionary tale 
which connects these parcels of land with a transaction of one of the ancestors of a certain great 
man in this neighbourhood; but prudence forbids me saying more on this head. 

SAND AND CLA Y FIELDS. 

These fields, which lie north and north-west of the town, contain 654 acres. Within the last 
hundred and fifty years, according to the best information I can obtain, these fields were entirely 
open ; and were cultivated two years by the plough, or otherwise, as suited their respective 
proprietors ; and every third year they were enjoyed exclusively by the housekeeper burgesses. 
As this plan was found inconvenient to both parties, it was agreed that the proprietors should fence 
their respective lots, if they chose ; that the land should be laid down for mowing and pasturage, 
(though this is not universally attended to) and that two gaps in each fence should be made by the 
proprietors, on or before the 12th of August^ and which should continue open till the 12th of 
November ; during which time the production of the fields was to be the sole property of the 
burgess-housekeepers. From the adoption of this plan, more herbage was produced than the cattle 
of the burgesses could consume ; many of them being too poor to purchase cattle, which caused the 
town to be badly supplied with milk, except what was brought from the neighbouring villages ; 
and that, as at the present time, being skimmed to such a degree as to take from it every oleaginous 
particle ; so that to remedy these evils it was agreed, that the non-burgess housekeepers should 
have the privilege, in common with the burgesses, of turning in three head of cattle each, during 
the commonable time. In 1807, some burgesses determined to dispute the claim of the non-burgess 
housekeepers ; accordingly a committee was formed ; and one Samuel Milner, and others 



FOREST. TOWN LIBERTIES MIDDLETON JURY. 31 



impounded the cattle belonging to a person of the name of Glover,, who, by the aid of persons, 
whose interest was concerned,, brought an action against Milner, which was tried in the shire-hall, 
before Baron Thomson and a special jury, on the 5th of August, 1808; and the burgesses lost 
the trial ; with this proviso, however, that none of the non-burgess housekeepers, except those 
that reside in what are culled toftsteads, should have the right of turning into these fields.* 

In consequence of several incroachments being made upon these fields by the land owners 
erecting houses, barns, &c. on their respective lands, actions were instituted, in 1791, by one Isaac 
Alvey, a burgess, against Samuel Rose and Joseph Osborn, which were tried at the ensuing March 
assizes, before Sir Nash Grose and a special Jury ; when verdicts were obtained in favor of the 
burgesses ; with a restriction, that the buildings then standing should remain ; but none should 
henceforth be erected, under any pretence whatsoever. Notwithstanding this decision, a number 
of other incroachments were made ; which induced the aforesaid Isaac Alvey, (being aided by his 
brother burgesses) to institute actions against John Wright, surgeon, and Charles Osborn, in 1805, 
which were tried before Sir Giles Rooke and a special jury at the Midsummer assize ; the decision 
being again in favor of the burgesses ; and an order was made by the Judge for all the buildings, 
which had been erected since 1791, to be taken down ; and that the burgesses should have the 
power, at every Lammas, of destroying or removing every new incroachment upon the fields. 

FOREST AND WASTE LAND. 

The Forest, including roads and small intacks, contains one hundred and twenty-four acres ; 
Mapperley-hills contain fifty-seven acres and a half and two roods ; and four acres and one rood 
are contained in the waste land, which lies on each side of the Mansfield road, between the 
Gallows-hill, and the entrance into the town.f 

LIBERTIES OF THE TOWN, AND MID DLETOJS* JURY. 

When King Alfred divided the kingdom into shires, hundreds, and parishes, he allotted larger 
portions of land to villages than to cities and great towns ; considering, that while the inhabitants 
of the latter gained a livelihood, by adding an artificial value to many of the productions of the 
earth, by converting them to various purposes for the use of man, those of the former had to supply 
them with food, by following the rural occupations of life. While this great and good monarch 
thus divided the country, he gave to the people a system of laws which made it their interest to 
defend it with their lives. But he did not foresee that the lapse of nine hundred years would swell 
the population of the manufacturing and trading towns to such an extraordinary degree, or his 



* Toft (Toftum) a messuage or house, or, rather a place or piece of ground where a messuage once stood that is decayed or casually 
burnt : it is a word much used in fines, wherein we often read Toftum and Croftum. Jacob's Law Dictionary 

Hence toft-stead, i. e. the place of the toft, in like manner as homestead means, the place of the hou.ie — According to the practice, of 
common law, every freehold house is a toftstead which has paid scot and lot sixty years; or one which stands on the site of another tlint 
had paid that lenath of time; or, in fact, a succession of houses standing on the same spot, which have conjointly thus paid. Hence 
those non-burgess housekeepers have a right, from custom, to turn into the fields, who occupy houses thus circumstanced within the 
liberties of the town. 

f The admeasurement of the different parts of land, enumeiated in the foregoing pages, I had f;pm Mr. Bailey, land surveyor. 



32 lliSTOttY OF KTOtTlrtGHAM. 



policy would have prcvehted him from tliils circumscribing their boundaries. Nottingham has to 
complain, in a peculiar manner, of the Unequal distribution of the land ; For While the circuit of 
the town is about three miles, and is daily increasing, the circumference of its jurisdiction is but 
ten miles ; so that were every inch of land inclosed, the whole WoUld not furnish a sufficiency 
of miik and vegetables to the inhabitants, the Watit of Which Causes them to be subject to numerous 
exactions. 

To secure the boundaries of the town, a certain number of respectable characters, annually 
appointed, form what is called the Middleiori, Mickleton, or Leet Jury, and circumambulate them 
twice a year, with the coroner at their head. It is also the duty of this Jury to break down all 
obstructions in old roads ; to fine those persons who may have made such incroachments as do not 
immediately obstruct a public road ; arid to present all nuisances to the quarter sessions. Until 
within a few years this Jury paid so little attention to their duty, except imposing ridiculous fines 
upon their noviciate companions, that the streets' Were so beset With posts, as to render it dangerous 
for persons to traverse them in the night. These nuisances are how generally removed ; and it is 
much to be wished, that the Jury would pay the same attention to the removal of spouts, which, in 
rainy weather, pour their liquid contents on the heads Of passengers, as they Walk along the streets. 

RACE GROUND. 

Nottingham being one of those towns which are favored with the King's plate,* it has long 
been famous for the contentions exhibited on its Race Ground. Many years this resort of pleasure 
could vie With most others of the same description in the kingdom, for the number of nobility and 
gentry that attended it ; but of late it has been on the decline, in this respect. The first course 
was four miles round ; which, about, the year 1752, gave place to an excellent one of two miles. 
This was destroyed by the Rudford and Lenton inclosures, within the boundaries of which parishes 
it principally lay ; but, in 1798, another was nrade in the form of a figure of eight. But in 
consequence of the bad view afforded to the spectators* &c. this gave place to one of an oval form 
in 1813. Formerly the races Were held in July ; but are now held in August ; and generally on 
the second Tuesday in that month. Five o'clock, too, used to be the time of starting ; but it was 
altered to two o'clock in 1813. Besides the King's plate.* there is a subscription cup ; a hunter's 
stakes; the cOuhty members' plate, of fifty pounds, for three year olds; the noblemen and gentlemen's 
plate of fifty pounds, for three fend four year Olds ; and the town plate of fifty pounds, for horses 
Of all ages, which have never WOn the value of fifty pounds at any one race ; and the sport always 
continues three days. The Stand was erected in 1777, under the patronage of Sir Charles Sidley, 
of sporting memory ; and is a handsome brick building two stories high. The front and ends are 
supported by pillars, which form a handsome piazza, under which many a dashing female screens 
her dress from the disordering effects of a Shower. At a meeting held 2tt t'rte White Lion inn, on 



•* A bell was the prize which was run for in ancient times, hence the phrase of " bearing away the bell ": aftenftmls a piec# of platp, 
.••misting 'of a cup or b"o«l,'was given by the irionarcl) to encourage the speed in hordes 5 hence the phrase ©f " King's plate." 



RACE STAND. ST. ANNS WELL. 



33 



the 21st October, 1776, a subscription was entered into for the erection of this stand; no person 
being- permitted to subscribe less than twenty guineas, which would entitle each subscriber to two 
silver tickets, to be transferable ; each ticket to admit a lady or a gentleman. Here follows 
a list of the subscribers, with the sum paid by each. 



Guineas. 
Duke of Newcastle (Lord Lieutenant) ... 200 

Duke of Norfolk ' 200 

Duke of Portland - - - 200 

Earl of Lincoln .......... 200 

Earl of Stamford 50 

Lord George Cavendish ...... .30 

Lord Edward Bcntinck 200 

Lord Middleton 100 

Lord Melbourn ..........50 

Sir Gervas Cliftou ..60 

Sir George Saville ......... 100 

Sir Charles Sedley .........100 

Sir William Boothby ....... -20 

Sir Francis Molyneux ....... .20 

John Musters, Esq. ......... 100 

E. T. Gould, Esq 20 

Anthony Eyre, Esq. .........50 

John Sherwin, Esq. ........ - 20 

Abel Smith, Esq. 50 

Cornelius Launder, Esq. -----..20 

L. Rolleston, Esq. -----....20 

Rev. Mr. Nixon ...... .... 20 

Mr. John Foxcroft ---..-..-20 
Messrs. John and Thomas Wright .... 40 

Mr. Samuel Statham -.--....20 

Mr. Thomas Martin -----..-20 



Guineas. 
Mr. Jonathan Truman -.-.-.--20 

Mrs. Collin, Elton - - . .' 20 

Mr. Brand 20 

Mr. James Foxcroft ---------20 

Mr. George Moody Brentnall 20 

Mr. Thomas Hunt .... 20 

Mr. S. Turner 20 

J. Newton, Esq 20 

W. Emerson, Esq 20 

W. C. Sherbrooke, Esq 20 

Job Charlton, Esq. ...--..--20 

John Hewitt, Esq. --. 50 

Rev. C. Laundtr 20 

Mrs. Jerom --20 

Mr. Alderman Carruthers ----..-20 
Mr. Thomas Rawson --.-...-20 

Mr. H. Parker 20 

Sir Thomas Parkyns, Bart. ...... 20 

John Kirke, Esq. ...... ...20 

John Key, Esq. .......... 20 

Thomas Edge, Esq. -- 20 

John Westcomb Emcrton, Esq. ..... 20 

John Whetham, Esq. 20 

Dr. White .......20 

Mr. Richard Dodson, jun. ....... 20 



While the eye is delighted with the sports of the turf, the soul is swelled with exultation on 
beholding, in front, all bounteous nature presenting her autumnal tribute; while, in the rear, 
thirteen wind-mills are preparing food for the use of man. 

ST. ANN'S WELL. 

This once so famous convivial haunt was, in ancient times, called Robin Hood's- well ; but, by an 
inscription upon a stone found in the building by one Ellis, and by him communicated to Peering-, 
it appears to have been a chapel, dedicated to St. Ann, which was erected in 1409; whence the 
place took its present name. 

The eastern wall of the house stands upon the remains of this chapel ; and the fire-place 
occupies the site where stood the holy altar, where credulity and sincerity have often unfolded their 
follies and vices to the votaries of voluptuousness, cupidity, and fraud. Here has long stood a 



34 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

public-house, possessing- the conveniencies of a bath, a bowling-green, and, once, well laid out 
gardens ; concerning which Deering gives us the following quotation from his often noticed 
anonymous author. " At the well there is a dwelling-house, serving as a habitation for the 
•• Woodward of those woods, being an officer of the Mayor. This house is likewise a victualling 
" house, having adjoining to it fair summer-houses, bowers, or arbours, covered by the 
" plashing and interweaving of oak boughs for shade, in which are tables of large oak planks, 
" and are seated about with banks of earth, fieightered and covered with green sods, like green 
" carsie cushions. There is also a building containing two fair rooms, an upper and a lower, 
" serving for such as repair thither to retire in case of rain or bad weather. Thither do the 
•• townsmen resort by ancient custom beyond memory." 

The same author tells us, that he was present at a carousal at this place with King James the 
First, and a number of his toping courtiers; when, to use his own words, they drank the Woodward 
and his barrels dry. — This custom, so fondly spoken of by this author, like the" good times in 
which it was observed, is now passed away, never to return. 

There is a quantity of trumpery kept at this house, consisting of an old iron helmet, of a gigantic 
size, an old wicker chair, &c. which are said to have belonged to the renowned Robin Hood ; be 
this as it may, they have long answered the purpose of their different possessors ; as many giddy 
girls and their accommodating lovers used to think the having on their heads the cap of Robin 
Hood, and the sitting in his chair, necessary ceremonials to prepare them for the hymenial altar ; 
and many a salute has been washed from the lips of the enamourantoes with bumpers of the 
Woodward's nut-brown ale. 

ROBIJV HOOD. 

Merely for the reader's amusement, we will drop a word or two on the subject of this famous 
freebooter. Rapin says, " about the year 1199, lived the famous Robin Hood and his companion 
" Little John, who were said to infest Yorkshire with their robberies !" And, according to the 
Anecdotes of Archery, the birth place of this hero is Loxley in Staffordshire.* And Dr. Stukeley. 
in the Palaographia Britanni calls him Robert Fitz-ooth, or the pretended Earl of 
Huntington. Others contend, that he was the real Earl of Huntington ; and that he was driven 
by necessity to a plundering course of life, either by his youthful dissipations, or to avoid the 
vengeance of the crown. Sir Edward Coke, in his third institute, when speaking of Robin Hood, 
says, that men of his lawless profession were called Roberdsmen ; and that the statutes of 
Winchester, in the 13th of Edward the First, and the 5th of Edward the Third, were made against 
Roberdsmen and other felons. f Stow, in his Annals, calls him and his followers renowned 
thieves. According to Charltan's history of Whitby Abbey, Robin and his determined band, bade 
defiance to the power of the crown, by retreating, when pursued by superior force, across 

* It is proper to infer, however, that our hero was a native of Loxley in Warwickshire, as according to Magna Britannia, the family of 
Fitz-ooth's resided there, and Robert Fitz-ooth gave a considerable portion of land to the priory of Kenilwotth, in the reign of Henry the 
Second, whereas it does not appear that they were possessed of any property whatever at Loxley in Staffordshire, 
f From this it should seem, that the word Roberdsmen was applied to all forest freebooters. 



ROBIN HOOD. 36 



Yorkshire, and taking shelter on board his little fleet, at a place about six miles from Whitby ; 

and which is still known by the name of Robin Hood's Bay. 

We are told, that his strength was so great, that he could send an arrow a mile from his bow • 

and that too with the certainty of hitting his mark. But, notwithstanding his great strength of 

body, and prompt counsel of mind, he was doomed, in his old age, to fall a victim to the treachery 

of a monk. The manner of his death is thus related : — Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, having 

set a price upon his head, which caused many fruitless attempts to be made for his detection ; and 

at length, being closely pursued, many of his companions slain, and himself worn down with 

fatigue and old age, he took shelter in the priory of Kirklees in Yorkshire, about three miles from 

Huddersfield ; the prioress at that time being his near relation. A regular decay of nature, and a 

train of disappointments, brought on a disease, when a monk was called to open a vein ; but, either 

from ignorance or design — probably the latter, he performed the operation so ill, that the orifice 

could not be closed, nor the blood be staunched. Robin finding his exit fast approaching, and 

being desirous to point out the place of his interment, called tor his bow and quiver ; and 

discharged two arrows, the first of which fell into the river Calder, and the second into the park ; 

and the spot where the last fell he desired might be the repository of his bones. — He died on the 

24th December, 1247, as appears from the inscription on his tomb ; which, though it has long 

been defaced, has been preserved by Dr. Gale, Dean of York, together with the epitaph which 

we copy literally. 

htar undersea!) dis latil stean 

Laiz Robert Earl of Hj>ti>.gion 
Nea areir ver az hie >a gecd 
Av pipl xauld i>i Robin Held 
Sick utlaz az hi av ?z men 
Yil England kits si agen. 

Obiit 24 Kal. Decembris, 1247. 
which may thus be rendered : — 

Underneath this little stone, 
Lies Robert, Earl of Huntington ; 
Ne'er archer was as he so good ; 
And people called him Robin Hood. 
Such outlaws as he and his men, 
Will England never see again. 

Evans, when speaking of our hero, in his tour, seems to think, he was one of those discontented 
wights that rose in arms against the system of inslosing the open lands in the reigns of Henrv the 
Second and Richard the Fu'st ; and that, having become inured to a woodland course of life 
no consideration could induce him to quit his lovely bowers. The inscription and epitaph are, 
however, an undisputed testimony of the time of his death, and of his havin°- belonged to the 
Huntington family ; and it is certain that he rendered himself famous in the neighbourhood of 

Nottingham, by often plundering the rich, particularly the clergy, and relieving the poor. The 

name of the person that wrote his Garland is entirely lost ; which is to be regretted, as manv of 



36 HISTOJtY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



his songs would do credit to Shcnstone's woodland notes. A pamphlet written in the year 1652, 
and still preserved in the Oxford museum, says, Little John, or John Little, lies buried in 
Hathersage church-yard in the Peak of Derbyshire ; and that a stone at his head and another at 
his feet, at that time retained the letters I. L. the two initials of his name. 

SHEPHERDS RACE. 

Upon what was usually called Snenton-common, on an elevated spot near St. Ann's-well, was 
a maze or labyrinth, cut in the ground, and known by the name of Robin Hood's, or Shepherds' 
Race. The length of the winding was 535 yards ; and the ground which it occupied was 
about eighteen yards on each side : at the four angles were oval projections, intersecting the four 
cardinal points. Dr. Stukeley thought it was of Roman origin ; but Deering was of opinion, that 
it is of later date ; yet conceived it to be older than the Reformation ; as is evident, says he, from 
the Cross-croslets in the centre of the four rounds. He also considered it to have been cut by the 
priests of St. Ann's, for amusement and recreation, when they were not permitted to go out of 
sight or hearing of the chapel. The trenches were so narrow, that those who run the winding 
course were necessitated to run on the turf. As there is in general some truth for the foundation 
of a traditional name, it is very probable, that this labyrinth was cut by the Shepherds, in days of 
yore, when tending their flocks on these renowned plains. — — This spot, so long sacred to rural 
amusements, on inclosing the lordship of Snenton, was ploughed up, on the 27th of February, 
1797. A spot of earth, comprehending about 324 square yards," sanctified by the lapse of 
centuries, as a place of rustic sport, by the curiosity of its shape, and by the magic raptures which 
the sight of it awakened in our fancies of the existence of happier times, could not escape the hand 
of avarice, which breaks down the fences of our comfort — the mounds of our felicity ; and destroys 
the reverence of custom, if an object of gain or of ambition present itself to view. Here the 
youth of Nottingham were wont to give facility to the circulation of their blood, strength to their 
limbs, and elasticity to their joints; but callous hearted avarice has robbed them of the spot. 

DRUIDS' HOLES. 

The absence of every thing, in the shape of correct information, respecting the origin of any 
thing spoken of, which has engaged, and divided the attention of antiquaries, is an argument in 
favor of its great antiquity. This opinion will apply to the cluster of caves in our park ; which 
are indiscriminately called The Rock Holes, and The Papist Holes ; but which I presume to call 
The Druids' Holes, from an opinion of their having been made by the ancient Druids. Their 
rude unchisseled interior bespeaks them the work of persons unacquainted with architecture ; and 
their fronting the rising sun and their distance from the town, demonstrate the original design of 
them to have been for the residence of religious devotees ; who, being separated from the 
bustle attending the occupations of the laity, could devote their attention to their sacred functions 
and be ready to offer up their orisons to the Deity at the first dawning of the day; a practice much 
attended to in ancient times, by every nation of the earth. That these caves were originally hewn 
and set apart as places of worship for. the ancient Britons, 1 think there is but little doubt; since 



DRUIDS' HOLES. SHERWOOD FOREST. 37 



the Druids, who were alike their lawgivers, philosophers, and divines, delivered their public 
instructions to the people in groves of sacred oak ; and where could a place be found, more 
appropriate for their habitations than the one we are speaking' of? since the forest, which abounded 
with oak, came down to the very spot. And, as this forest forms so conspicuous a part in the 
songs of yore, and legendary tales about Nottingham, we will give the following sketch of it from 
the pen o^the late antiquary Hayman Rook, Esq. -of Mansfield Woodhouse. 

" This forest, it appears, was anciently divided, or rather known by the names of Thorncy 
" Wood, and High Forest ; the first of which, although the least, contained nineteen towns or 
" villages, of which Nottingham was one. The High Forest abounded with fine stately oaks, 
" and was free~from underwood.*; 

"The forest of Sherwood extends i itself into the hundreds of Broxtowe, Thurgaton-a-lee, and 
" Basset-lawe. When the forest of Sherwood was first made I find not: the first mention of it 
" that I do find is in: Henry the Second's time ; but I conceive it a forest before ; for William 
" Peverell, in the 5th of king Stephen, doth answer de Placitis Forestae in this county. Thus far 
' f we can trace the antiquity of the forest, which is undoubtedly of very great extent. It is 
" the only forest that remains under the superintendence of the chief justice in eyre, north of Trent, 
" or which now belongs to the crown in that part of England. Many perambulations of this 
" forest, made in the different reigns, are preserved in the tower, and in the court of Exchequer s 
" the first perambulation was made in the 28th of king Edward the First ; the second in the 30th of 
" king Henry the Eighth; the third in the 14th of king Charles the Second,. — The forest is, 
" described in a survey, made in 1609, to be divided into three parts or districts, called the north 
" part, the south part, and the middle part. The north part contains the towns of Carburton, 
" Glead thorp, ; Warsop, with Nettleworth, Mansfield- Woodhouse^ Clipstone, Rufford, and 
" Edwinstone, the hays of Birkland and Bilhagh, and the towns of Budby, Thoresby, Paverelthorpe, 
"or Palethorpe, and Ollerton. The south part contains the towns of Nottingham, part of 
" Wilford, Lenton, Radford, Snenton, Colwick, Stoke, Carlton, Gedling, Burton, Bulcot^ Gunthorp, 
" Caythorp, and Loudham, Lambley, Arnold, Basford, Beskwood park,, Woodborough, Calverton, 
" and Saunterford manor.. The middle part contains the towns of Mansfield, with Plesley-hill, 
" Skegby, Sutton, Hucknal, Fulwood, part of Kirkby, Blidworth, Papplewick, Newstead, part of 

Linby, and part of Annesley. The whole quantity of ground , in the forest, according /o that 
" survey, is as follows : 



a 



A. R. P. 

" Inclosures ............... 44889 1 10 

" Woods 9486 23 

41 Wastes 35080 2 6 

" Clipstone park 1583 1 35 

" Beskwood park ---.-......... 3672 

" Bui well park ---*.--._..._.. 326 3 2 

" Nottingham park ............. 129 3 9 



* Thomey Wood division obtained tbat name from the oaks being mixed, here and there, with thorn trees. 

K 



38 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



•' Inclosures since the survey in 1609 : — 

Years. Acres. 
li Arnold forest ----•--«...._.. 1789 2280 

" Basford forest -......-...__. 1792 1158 

" Sutton. in-As'nfield .......... _ „ _ 1794 2608 

" Kirkby-in-Ashfield ............. 1795 1941 

" Lenton and Radford ............ 1795 261." 

After this little digression we will return to the subject of the Druids' Holes, on which Dr. 
Stukeley thus speaks, in his Itinerarium Curiosum. " One may easily guess Nottingham to have 
" been an ancient town of the Britains : as soon as they had proper tools they fell to work upon 
" the rocks, which every where offered themselves so commodiously to make houses in ; and I 
" doubt not here was a considerable collection of colonies of this sort." He further says ; " This 
C( is a ledge of perpendicular rock, hewn out into a church, houses, chambers, dove-houses, &c. 
" The church is like those in the rocks at Bethlehem, and other places in the holy land : the altar 
u is natural rock, and there has been painting upon the walls ; a steeple, I suppose, where a bell 
" hung, and regular pillars ; the river Leen winding about makes a fortification to it, for it comes 
<f at both ends of the cliff, leaving a plain in the middle ; the way into it was by a gate cut out of 
'"• the rock, and with an oblique entrance for more safety; without is a plain with three niches, 
••' which I fancy their place of judicature, or the like ; there is a regularity in it, and it seems to 
" resemble, that square called a temple in the Pictish castle, plate 38 in Scotland. Between 
u this and the Castle is an hermitage of like workmanship." 

That the ground upoft which Nottingham stands was the site of one of the ancient British 
towns, has been pretty evidently proved, independent of the Doctor's observations ; but that the 
place we are speaking of was not so,* I am fully of opinion { for it never was large enough to 
contain, what he denominates a colony ; while it was well calculated for the purpose for which I 
suppose it was made. Besides, the Doctor is perfectly mistaken in supposing that the original 
design of the formation of these caves could have any connection with the Leen acting as a 
fortification to them • for, had they not been hewn centuries before the turning of that river, some 
account of their origin would have been found. 

My object for quoting the above from Dr. Stukeley, was to give the reader an idea of the shape 
and extent of these caves, prior to the troubles in the time of Charles the First, when they were 
greatly injured by the parliamentary troops ; in consequence of their having been converted into 
a place of worship by the Papists ; "who were then discountenanced in the town — hence the 
appellation of Papists' Holes. 

That end towards Lenton is still washed by the Leen ; while the end towards Nottingham is 
more than thirty yards from the river, and, with the exception of the dovecot, there is not a room 
left entire ; and, as what remains is constantly subject to the stroke of wantonness and the gnawin^ 
tooth of time, in -all likelihood, in. a. few more ages, .the last .vestige of this effort -of human labor 
will be buried in the dust. The cavities which are left, in summer-time, become a receptacle for 
cattle which agist in the park, to screen them from the scorching rays of the sun ; and in the night 



FISHPOND GARDENS. — QUEEN'S GARDEN. 89 



they present a shelter for the commission of crime. — In the rock facing the Queen's Garden is a 
cave, which, within the last sixty years, was used as a military magazine ; but is now a storehouse 
for filth ; as is also another facing the road which leads from Lenton to this town, 

FISHPOJVD GARDENS. 

Facing the castle rock, and on the north side of the Leen, there used to be a fishpond, for the 
use of the inhabitants of the castle ; but, after the establishment of the Waterwork Company, it 
was let to them to be used as a reservoir. From neglect it became a mere bog, overgrown with 
water-weeds; and, in 1795, it was parcelled out by the Duke of Newcastle's steward and let to 
the towns-people as garden ground; who, by great labor, cost, and patience, have converted it into 
a very fertile spot; and it is now decorated with many pretty pleasure-houses ; which, when we 
consider that the ground is held on a six months' tenure, seems extraordinary. But, however we 
may be disposed to smile at the extravagance which some men display in the trapping of hobby 
horses, we are compelled to stand admiring when we see vegetation, in all its grandeur and 
luxuriance, in a place, which a few years ago, was a flaggy noisome bog. In 1809, part of the 
park hill, which had been unproductive for ages, was converted into gardens ; and another portion 
was planted with shrubs. 

QUEENs GARDEN. 

In a valley, on the north side of the park, is the appearance of an embankment, of 
an oblong form ; to the space within the limits of which, tradition has given the n^me of the 
Queen's Garden. 

Delicious fruit, and the delicacies of gardens, were introduced from Greece into Italy by the 
Romans about seventy years before the birth of Christ; which would soon find their way into 
France, from the fructuous nature of its soil ; and from its early connection with the Roman 
power. Whether the adventurous Romans introduced the art of gardening 4 into England, or not, is 
unknown ; if they did, it was lost in the destructive contentions for dominion, between the Scots, 
Picts, Saxons, Danes, and British, after their reluctant abandonment of the country. The art of 
gardening was not reduced to any thing like a system in England, till the year 1509; yet there can 
be little doubt but the Normans imported some knowledge of it at the conquest, which would be 
fostered, more or less by the rich in the cultivation of a few table luxuries ; and in the growth of 
simples, which were long considered a panacea for the diseases attendant on the human frame.— 
From the deposition of Edward the Second, in 1327, to the death of Mortimer, Earl of March, 
in 1330, Nottingham castle was the amorous retreat of Queen Isabella and this wicked Lord. 
From this circumstance, and the observations above, it may fairly be concluded, that the spot we 
are speaking of was converted into a garden for their use, for the cultivation of table necessaries, 
and of the numerous medical herbs with which this neighbourhood abounds : hence the name 
which tradition has handed down. Folly itself would never have erected an encampment here, as 
a place of defence ; since it is assailable on every side. 



40 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



BARRACKS. 

On the sixth of August, 1792, the foundation of this building- wps laid ; the ground on which 
it stands, being in the western corner of the park, was given by his Grace the Duke of Newcastle 
for the purpose. The site is a most delightful one ; and commands an extensive view to every 
point of the compass. These barracks present to the eye a handsome brick building', containing' 
well constructed apartments for the officers, a suttling house, stabling- for three troops of horse, an 
hospital, &c. the whole of which, embracing an extensive yard, is well walled round with brick. 

A little below these barracks stands a cluster of sycamore trees, whose umbrageous foliage, in 
the leafy season, forms a beauteous alcove. Before this building- was erected, something like magic 
would draw the children of contemplation to the spot, when aurora tinged the east with her g-olden 
streaks, or when the west was gilded with the sun's declining- rays ; where they could enjoy the 
fruit of their own imagination, unannoyed by the hoarse intrusion of the sentinel's voice, or the 
trampling of warlike steeds. Mrs. Hutchinson informs us, that, when her husband commanded the 
castle, not a tree stood in the park, except one which grew at the foot of the castle rock, which she 
says tradition informed her, was planted by Crook'd-back'd Richard; and concludes her observations 
by saying-, " the tree, in unison with its planter, had not a straight inch in its whole composition." 
Having now taken a survey of the site and the general exterior of the town, which stands 53 
degrees north latitude, and 22 degrees 14 minutes west longitude, we shall conclude this chapter 
with observing, that every writer who has noticed it, at any considerable length, has concluded, that 
a better situation whereon to erect a town is scarcely to be pointed out by the warmest imagination; 
and, with Deering, we will subscribe to the following lines : — 

" Fair Nottingham, with brilliant beauty graced, 

" In ancient Sherwood's south-west angle placed ; 

*' Where northern hills her tender neck protect, 

" With dainty flocks of golden fleeces deckt; 

" No roaring tempest discompose her mien ; 

" Her canopy of state's a sky serene. 

*' She, on her left, Belvoir's rich vale descry's, . 

" On th' other, Clifton hill regales her eyes : 

" If from her lofty seat she bows her head, 

" There's at her feet a flowery carpet spread. 

" Britain's third stream, which runs with rapid force, 

" No sooner spies her, but retards his course ; 

'* He turns, he winds, he cares not to be gone, 

" Until to her he first has homage done ; 

" He cheerfully his wat'ry tribute pays, 

" And at her footstool foreign dainties lays, 

" With assiduity her favors courts, 

" And richest merchandize from sea imports; 

4< Ceres her gift with lavish hand bestows, 

" And Bacchus o'er his butt of English nectar glow»>: i 
" Thy sons, O Nottingham, with fervor pray, 

" May no intestine feuds thy bliss betray ; 

" Health, plenty, pleasure, then will ne'er decay." 




WEST VIEW OF NOTTINGHAM CASTLE, AND THE DRUIDS' HOLES. 



41 



CHAPTER II. 

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE CASTLE, BREWHOUSE-YARD, AND THE CIRCUS. 



Upon the summit of a craggy, misshapen, and almost perpendicular rock, at the south-western 
extremity of the town, stands the castle ; the height of the rock being 133 feet above the level of 
the meadows. Mounted on so lofty a precipice, this mansion seems to bid defiance to the rolling 
tempest, and to court the conflict with the rudest blast. To the sight of the traveller, as he 
approaches the town, it presents a squat appearance, nowise corresponding with the majestic 
grandeur it displays to the circumspective eye. 

Centuries before the Norman invasion there was a tower or citadel upon the rock, whereon the 
present castle stands, which we find noticed in Magna Britannia in the following words ; the 
writer of which copied most of his observations on this subject from Camden : — " The Danes, 
" who frequently vexed this isle with their ravages, came at length to this town, anno 852, which 
" when Budred, the last king of the Mercians*, heard, he immediately besieged them, but without 
<<r success, the Danes possessing themselves of a strong tower, where the castle is now situated ; 
" whereupon (as Asser says,) Budred, king of the Mercians, and his people, sent messengers to 
" Ethelred, king of the West Saxons, and to Alfred, or Alured his brother, humbly intreating 
*' them to aid them, so that they might dislodge and vanquish the Danes. This request they easily 
" obtained, for the two brothers having drawn forces together from all parts of their kingdom, with 
** as much dispatch as possible, entered Mercia, and marched to Snottingham, unanimously 
" resolving to fight; but the Pagans refused to give them battle, securing themselves a while in 
" their strong holds. The Christians, who besieged them, laboured to batter down their walls, but 
c< not being able to do that, they held on the siege so long, though with no very strong attacks, 
rf that the Pagans, who were led by Hengar and Hubba, concluded a peace with the Mercians, 
te and returned home with their forces." 

What storms this ancient tower underwent, from the time we have just been speaking of to the 
Norman invasion, so as to render its rebuilding necessary, history no where informs us ; though we 
may fairly conclude, that a place of such importance would be an object of contention betwixt 
Edmund, surnamed Ironside, and Canute the Dane, the latter proving the successful competitor 
for the throne, and who might dismantle it, to prevent its falling into the hands of his enemies. 

Authors disagree concerning who was the rebuilder of the fortress, after the conquest; Holinshed, 
Camden, Stow, and Deering, contend that it was rebuilt by William the conqueror ; while 



* Historians differ about the name of the last king of Mercia, as also about the precise time when it ceased to be a separate kingdom ; 
but Heylyn an author of great authority, agrees with the foregoing. 

L 



42 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Thoroton, and Gibson, the continuator of Camden, are of opinion that Peverel, William's natural 
son, caused it to be done, who, as Thoroton says, had licence from the king to inclose ten acres of 
land, in or near Nottingham, to be converted into an orchard ; which quantity of land, continues 
Thoroton, according- to the forest measure, contains about fifty statute acres, which is near the 
proportion of the old park at Nottingham : hence some have concluded, that this is the spot where 
the orchard stood. What our author meant by forest measure and statute acres is not very clear; 
as the reader has already seen, that the park contains more than double the number of acres here 
mentioned ; except we suppose that he alludes to a smaller park which existed at a date anterior 
to the formation of the present one ; and there is no proof, either positive or collateral, no datum, 
land-mark, or boundaries, to indicate, that a smaller park than the present one ever existed at 
Nottingham. My opinion being, that the orchard alluded to did not stand here ; and also, that 
this identical park was laid out for the purpose of furnishing a ready supply of venison for the 
table of Peverel. For, after, as Thoroton informs us, the king had given to Peverel the dominion 
of Nottingham and of the forest, it seems strange that the latter should be under the necessity of 
applying for royal licence to inclose ten, or fifty acres of ground for an orchard, within the said 
domains. If Peverel had an orchard here, it is my opinion that it stood between the town and the 
Leen, part of which ground afterwards became the property of the Grey Friars. — This park was 
well stocked with deer until the year 1720, when they were principally driven away, because the 
expert deer-stealers of this town refused to let the proprietor go halves. Knyveton, in his survey 
in 1588, calls it a conygarth ; it then abounding with wild rabbits, the breed of which has been 
existing therein, within the last eighty years. — But to return to the old castle. 

The rock on which the above named writers have split, respecting who erected it, is, that no 
mention is made of it in Doomsday-book, which was finished in William's reign. Camden says, 
that William caused this castle to be built to keep the English in awe, which is the best reason 
that can be assigned for its erection ; for a conquering tyrant always dreads the revival of the 
spark of independence in the breasts of the conquered, which naturally becomes wafted into a 
llame when the panic has subsided, which had been occasioned by the dread of his arms. Perhaps 
a moment's reflection may bring the discordant notions of our historians to a settled point. 

The greater part of William's reign, which lasted but twenty-one years, was pretty much 
occupied in settling the internal regulations of his government, in rewarding his favorites, and in 
keeping his southern subjects in awe ; so that it is highly probable that this castle was not built 
till the latter end of his reign. And, to free himself from the care of the undertaking, he might 
commission his son Peverel to see the work done at his own discretion ; he being a military man, 
and therefore fit for such an undertaking ; and, also from his possessing fifty-five lordships in the 
county, and being Lord of the borough of Nottingham, he would have a particular, as well as a 
general interest in keeping the neighbourhood in subjection. And the object not being completed; 
or, possibly, the building not being began at the time this county was surveyed, may be assigned as 
the cause why the castle is not mentioned in Doomsday-book. These propositions being admitted, 
the jarring ideas of our historians are at once reconciled ; for though William ordered the 
rebuilding of the fortress, Peverel was the ostensible character in the work. Throsby, like a 



THE CASTLE. 43 



good natured creature, leaves the matter as he found it ; and endeavours to entertain his readers 
by laughing at the want of education in a methodist preacher, rather than run the risk of being 
laughed at himself, for attempting to investigate the truth. 

We now come to Leland, who viewed the late castle in the reign of Henry the Eighth. " The 
" castle of Nottingham," says he, " stondith on a rokky hille, on the west side of the town : and 
" Line riveret goith by the roots of it. The base court is large and meetly strong. And a stately 
f bridge is there with pillars bearing beastes and giantes, over the ditche into the secund warde : 
" the front of the which warde in the entering is exceeding strong with toures and portecallices. 
'■' Much part of west side of this inner warde, as the hail and other things be yn ruines. The 
" est side is strong and well tourrid. And so is the south side. But the most bewtifulle part and 
c i gallant building for lodging is on the north side, where Edward the Fourth began a right 
i: sumptous peice of stone Avork, of the which he clearly finished one excellent goodly toure of 
" three heights yn building, and brought up the other part likewise from the foundation with stone, 
u and marvelus pain cumpacid windoes to laying the first site of chambers, and then left. Here 
"■ king Richard Third his brother forced up upon that work another peice of one loft of tymber, 
c f making rounde wyndoes, so that surely this north is an exceeding fair peice of work. The 
" dungeon or keep of the castelle stondith by south and est, and is exceeding strong. There be 
" divers buildings betwixt this dungeon and the ynner court of the castelle, and there goith also 
'* down a stair ynto the ground where Davy king of Scots (as the Castellanes [i. e. the inhabitants 
" of the castle] say,) was kept a prisoner." Our author farther says, " I marked in all, three 
". chapels in the castelle and three wells." 

Camden, who lived in Elizabeth's time, after giving a similar account of the castle, adds, " In 
" the first court of this castle we go down a great many steps, with candle-light into a vault under 
" ground, and rooms cut and made out of the stone ; in the walls whereof the story of Christ's 
" passion and other things are engraven by David the Second, king of Scotland, as they say, who 
" was kept a prisoner here."* Camden further says that the castle was so strong both by nature 



* Deering, without giving full credence to this story, endeavours to illustrate it by referring to Stow's Chronicle, and informs us that he 
there finds David was taken prisoner on the 11th October, 1 146, and that he was conveyed to Westminster on the 2d of January following. 
Now, not having Stow's Chronicle by me, I can say no more in reply to that author, than, that what Deering has advanced is impossible 
to be true ; for the David here alluded to was not crowned till 1329, and, according to Hume, the battle of Neville's Cross, or Durham, in 
which this king was made prisoner, was not fought till October, 1346, making an error of two hundred years. David was ransomed, in 
1357, for an hundred thousand marks. 

Sir D. Dalrymple the Scottish historian informs us, that William of Lambyrton, Bishop of St. Andrew's, and Robert Wisheart were 
confined in Nottingham castle, as friends and associates of Robert Bruce, against Edward the First, king of England. Wisheart was 
taken in armour defending the castle of Coupar, and so attired was taken to Nottingham. Lambyrton had a daily allowance while at 
Nottingham, of sixpence for himself, threepence for a serving man, three-half-peuce for his foot-boy, and of three-halj-pence for his 
chaplain. They were taken in 1306. 

The Earl of Moray (says the above historian) was taken in a skirmish by William de Pressun in 1335, and sent by Edward the Third, 
prisoner to Nottingham castle ; his order of commitment is dated Perth, August 13th, 1335. He was removed to Windsor, 29th December, 
1335, to Winchester, 25th May, 1336, to the Tower of London, the 2Sth September, 1336, and recovered his liberty in 1341, being 
exchanged for the Earl of Salisbury. 

The battle of Durham, where David king of Scots was made prisoner, was fought according to Dalrymple on the 17th October, 1346 
The captive king arrived in London, on the 2d January, 1347, therefore his stay in Nottingham must have been very shoit, if he visited it at 
all. 



44 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



and art, as to be thought invincible, except assailed by famine, if it had a good garrison ; that it 
never was taken by downright force ; and that it was once ineffectually besieged by Henry of 
Anjoue, at which time the garrison burnt all the buildings about it. Our author adds, that it was 
once taken by surprise by Robert, Count de Ferariis, in the Barons' wars, who deprived the 
citizens of all they had. 

From the influence of fear and avarice Henry the Seventh suffered most of the castles in the 
kingdom to fall into decay : he dreaded lest they should fall into the hands of the Barons, who 
might thereby depose him for his tyranny as they had done others before : and avarice operated 
upon him as it did upon Daniel Dancer : it taught him in all his dealings, that he must save. 
Yet such was the strength of this castle, that neither its deserted situation, the beating of the 
merciless tempest, nor the gnawing tooth of time; had been able so far to reduce it, but that it was 
thought a fit place, by Charles the First, as the rallying point for his forces, when he commenced 
the war against the liberties of his subjects. 

Deering tells us, that Cromwell gave captain Poulton money to enable him to demolish the old 
castle after the death of Charles; here, however, our author has misstated the matter; for we have 
Mrs. Hutchinson's authority for saying, that it was her worthy husband who furnished captain 
Poulton with the means of dismantling it, when Cromwell was gone into the north to meet the 
Scottish army, for fear it should fall into the hands of that ambitious chieftain, and become an 
instrument in his power to enable him to overawe the neighbourhood. The colonel hated 
tyranny in any man ; and he saw too clearly the intentions of Cromwell to suffer a place of such 
consequence as this castle was, to fall into his hands, so long as he had the means of preventing it. 
For thus thwarting him in one of his objects, Cromwell never could endure the name of the 
colonel more. Thus this castle, which had partly been raised by William, and partly by Edward the 
Fourth, and Richard the Third, for the purpose of overawing the people, was demolished by a 
bold patriot, for fear it should be used for the same purpose again ; though it had received a rude 
shock from the avaricious hand of Francis, Earl of Rutland, to whom and his heirs it was given by 
James the First ; for Thoroton says, " in his time a many of the goodly buildings were pulled 
" down, and the iron and other materials were sold." This, however, further shows what its 
mighty strength was once. Thoroton also informs us that it was a rectory, valued at 61. ; and 
Deering quotes an author who said, in the reign of Henry the Third it contained a chapel 
dedicated to St. Mary. 

Deering has preserved a curious article, which he says he copied from a forest-book, written for 
the use of Robert Alvey, Mayor of this town, in 1588, if there be not a mistake in the printing ; 
for Robert Marsh was Mayor that year; and Mr. Alvey in 1580 and 1584. This book is 
purported to have been written by William Marshall, sergeant at mace : — 

" The accounpte of Geffery Knyveton, from the feast of St. Michaell tharchaungle in the xxvth 
" yeare of kinge Henry the Sixth unto the same feaste next following by one whole yeare for the 
u castle of Nottingham." 

" 1st. He gives accompte of xiiZ. 8s. cominge of xxiiii acres of meadow, lying in a meadow 
* f belonging to the castle of Nottingham, called the king's meadow. The price 3s. 2d. so letten 



CASTLE. — MORTIMER'S HOLE. 45 



* f this yeare. And of xivs. the latter agistment of the same meadow betwixt Michallmas and 
" Martlemas happeninge. And of liiis. iiiid. of the farme of the close called castle-appleton. 
" And of xxxvis. 8d. for the farme of another close called the constable-holme, so Ietten to the 
" men of Nottingham. And of xxivs. of the farme of a peice of meadow called the milne-dame. 
■" Andxiiis. of the farme of two peices of meadow lyeinge by the king's-bridge and the rocke-yard. 
<e And viiis. of the castle-hills without the castle-walls. And xxs. of the farme of the pindage of 
" the castle so Ietten to the men of Nottingham. And of xs. of the farme of the outward, within 
" the castle walls. And of the profit of the dove-cott nothing this yeare, but it was wont to give 

" 3s. 4d. And of for the castle miln. And of 13s. 4d. of the farme of the coneygarth 

" of the castle this year, &c." 

" This survey," says Deering, " was taken three years before Henry the Fourth made the town 
" of Nottingham a county of itself, in which charter he excepts the king's hall, and the castle of 
* f Nottingham, both which remain at this day in the county at large." 

The king's meadows, earl or hell, closes, as they are called, and the spaw-close, comprehend the 
land mentioned in the above transcript, (except the park and castle contingencies) continue 
extra-parochial ; and therefore pay no poor's rates ; a thing much to be complained of, in a town 
like Nottingham, where the rates are so excessively heavy. 

In the copy which I have of Deering, is the following written marginal note : " I378 A Edmond 
de Bromfield was sent prisoner to this castle for accepting the Abbacy of St. Edmund's Bury 
from the Pope, without the king's consent.*" 

DEERING s DESCRIPTION OF MORTIMER s HOLE. 

" This way through the rock was provided with no less than six gates, besides a side one on the left 
" hand going down ; the first was above ground leading from the turret down to the second, the place 
<c where the turret stood is now covered by part of the modern fabric, and the passage to the second 
ic gate is filled, and the gate itself walled up with stone, to this leads a new passage cut out of the 
ff rock since the building of the present castle, without the wall of the paved yard. The distance 
" between the first and the second gate I take to have been about sixteen yards ; from this we step down 
" fourteen yards and meet with the marks of another, and fifteen yards lower was a fourth ; about 
" forty-five yards below this, on the left hand, we observe a gate bricked up ,- which with seven or 
" eight steps did lead up into some works of the old tower, (as the late Mr. Jonathan Paramour 
" informed me) in whose time it was bricked up ; about eight yards below this stood a fifth, and the 
" sixth and lowest which opened into the rock yard and is now also bricked up, is still about nine 
*' yards lower, so that the whole length of this once well secured subterraneous passage from the 



* The following article is extracted from the numerous MSS. collected by the celebrated Marquis of Lansdown, and are now principally 
in the British Museum -.—"Alice Pierce, concubine to Edward III. was, in the latter end of his reign, so imprudent, presuming upon his 
favor whose weakness she bad subdued, that she herself would sit in courts of justice to effect her own desires ; and, at a parliament held 
the 50th year of his reign, at her suit, she caused Sir Peter de la Marc (late speaker in parliament, and who then exhibited complaints 
against her) to be committed to perpetual imprisonment at Nottingham. This gentleman, very probably, was confined in the castle. 

M 



40 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM, 



" court of the old tower to the foot of the rock is one hundred and seven yards or three hundred and 
" twenty-one feet : This vault is seven feet high and six wide, had all the way down broad steps 
u cut in the rock, the which are at this time almost entirely worn out in the middle, but may plainly 
* be perceived at the sides ; there are all the way down till within fifteen or sixteen yards of the 
" bottom, openings in the side of the rock to convey light into this passage, and to serve the soldiers 
<f to shoot their arrows through upon the enemy, in the upper part are cut out several regular 
ft port-holes, which shew, that during the civil war, cannons were planted there, which 
" commanded all the meadows, there are besides in this part of the vault observable, many holes 
" or excavations about a foot in height, breadth, and depth, these seem to have been made to lodg& 
" cannon-balls in, to prevent their rolling to the bottom." 

The above account is given here from its correctness of description ; but the lapse of time since 
Deering viewed this vault has nearly obliterated every appearance of the steps. The bottom 
entrance, which faces the south-east, has been bricked up long since, to prevent boys from coming 
that way into the gardens at the foot of the rock. The top entrance is nearly in the same 
direction as the bottom one, through a gate-way in the parapet wall. I am fully of opinion with 
those who consider this vault to have been made before the Norman invasion, as a secret passage 
to the old tower, whereby it might be relieved, in case of a pressing siege. 

The reason why this vault took the name of Mortimer' s-hole is as follows :- — In the minority of 
Edward the Third, after the murder of his deposed father, his mother, Isabella, lived in an 
adulterous intercourse and joint usurpation with Mortimer, Earl of March, at the castle ; the 
apparent impregnability of which, and its enviable situation, exhibiting a show of safety as well as 
delight." The young king, however, being weary of his political trammels, and ashamed of his 
mother's conduct, determined, in council with some of his friends, to seize Mortimer, and thus free 
himself and the nation from so galling a yoke. But how was the question ? the gates being locked 
at sun-set, and the keys taken to the queen, who always put them under her pillow. At length, 
William Eland, constable of the fortress, was brought over to the party, and engaged to introduce 
young Edward and his chosen band through a secret passage into the castle during the night, which 
was done accordingly — Mortimer was seized amidst the cries and prayers of the queen — was taken 
to Westminster, and there tried, condemned, and executed as a traitor ; and a parliament was held 
at Nottingham, that deprived the queen of her dowry, and granted her ,£1000 a year during life. 
Thus ended the royal amours and life of Mortimer ; and hence this vault, since celebrated, 
received it present name. 

On the right hand, of the way from the castle lodge towards the steps which lead to the paved 
yard, is a green court, upon a part of which stood the ancient tower, the rest of it occupying part of 
the site of the present castle. To the west of the green court stood the pindage, and the dovecot, 
as mentioned in Geffry Knyveton's survey. 

Some remains of the wall and its appendages, which incircled the old castle, are still standing ; 
particularly a bastion facing Gilliflower-hill, which, excepting the effects produced by the powerful 
operation of time, has sustained little injury. The main gate-way, the roof of which consists of a 
Gothic arch, supported by two ancient bastions, is still in good condition, and is near the top of 



GOVERNORS OF THE OLD CASTLE. 47 



Castle-gate. One of these bastions has been converted into a residence for the porter ; and, in 
1807, some additions were made to it for the accommodation of his family. There is still th« 
appearance of casements in these two bulwarks, so constructed, that the guards could intersect,- 
with their arrows, every approach to the gate. Formerly a deep dry ditch surrounded the castle, 
excepting where the high rock rendered it unnecessary, the last vestige of which was filled up in the 
above-mentioned year, and the road made to pass lengthwise over it, which leads from the top of 
Hounds'-gate into the park. This was done in consequence of the old road being sold, along with 
Standard-hill-close, over which plot of ground it formerly passed. As to the fabulous story about 
James Scot's Hole, which is said to lead underground, from the castle to Lenton, it shall be passed 
by as unworthy of farther notice. 

GOVERNORS OF THE OLD CASTLE. 

William Peverel, natural son to William the Conqueror ; by the daughter of a Norman tanner, 
and who was afterwards given in marriage to one Ralph Peverel, had the command of the castle 
given him by his reputed father, along with the Lordship of Nottingham, and 161 other Lordships 
in different parts of England ; but, at the battle of Lincoln he was taken prisoner by the Empress 
Maud, along with King Stephen, while fighting by the side of that monarch, in the 7th year of his 
rei°n. Ralph Pagnel, one of Maud's captains, succeeded him ; but when the tide of fortune 
turned again in favor of Stephen, and Peverel's enlargement had been procured, he, with a band 
of his trusty old soldiers, surprised the castle ; and afterwards commanded it to the day of his 
death. He was according to Deering, the founder of Lenton Abbey. 

William Peverel, grandson to the former, according to Camden, succeeded him in the command 
of the castle and in his titles and estates But who, for an intrigue with the wife of the Earl of 
Chester, and complotting with her to poison her husband, was deprived of his possessions by Henry 
the Second in the first year of that monarch's reign ; and the command of the castle was given to 
the said Earl of Chester. Peverel turned hypocrite, and put on the habit of a monk in Lenton 
Abbey, in order to expiate, in the public eye, the crimes of adultery and anticipated murder. 

Reginald de Lucy, according to Deering, next held the castle, in behalf of young Henry, when 
in rebellion against his father and king, until it was taken from him by Robert, Earl of Ferrers 
and Derbv, in favor of Henry the father. After the death of young Henry, which restored 
internal peace to the nation and to the breast of an over indulgent father, Henry the Second gave 
the command of the castle to John Earl of Morton, his fourth son ; which he held until deprived 
of it by William Longchamp, bishop of Ely, and chancellor and protector of the kingdom, under 
pretence that John was an enemy to his brother, Richard the First, when that monarch was 
carrying on his madheaded wars in Palestine, mis-called " holy wars." Longchamp, in the 
name of Richard, then gave the command of the castle to the Earl of Pembroke ; but the Earl of 
Morton, afterwards King John, wishing to obtain the crown in his brother's absence, found means 
to bribe the garrison, which was then commanded, under Pembroke, by Alan de Lee and Peter 
Rovancourt, and thereby gained the castle, the command of which he gave to Roger Month e gov , 
who sustained a siege in it against the. bishop of Ely ; but on Richard's return to the kingdom he 



48 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



made his peace with that monarch, on condition of giving up the castle and paying five hundred 
marks. It appears that Richard then committed it to the care of Reginald de Clifton, whom King 
John, in the 6th of his reign, commanded to deliver it up to Robert de Veteriponte, who was 
sheriff of the counties of Nottingham and Derby ; and who it seems gave up the command of the 
castle to Philip JSIarch, who held it for John in his first war against the Barons ; the latter 
obtaining possession of it as one of the conditions of their again receiving the king into the pale 
of their friendship ; and in whose keeping it appears to have remained a considerable time ; for we 
find it no more held by the crown till the 10th of Henry the Third, when Ralph Fitznicholas held 
it for that monarch. Hugh Fitzralph, also held the castle for this king, at which time he was 
sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire ; as likewise did William Bardolf, who was taken 
prisoner at the battle of Lewes. In the 44th of this king's reign it was committed to the care of 
the great Hugh de Spencer by the Barons ; and whtn peace was made between them and the 
king, the latter gave the command of it to his son Edward, who had previously been given up a 
hostage to the Barons as a pledge of his father's sincerity. When Edward came to the crown he 
first entrusted the castle to the command of Robert Tibetot, and then to Reginald de Grey, who 
was also sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. 

John Segrave (whose father was one of the Barons who took up arms at Nottingham against 
oppression in the reign of Henry the Third,) was in high repute with Edward the First and 
Edward the Second ; he was made warden of the forests beyond Trent, and governor of Nottingham 
castle ; and was taken prisoner in the service of the latter at the battle of Bannocksbourn. After 
Segrave, Robert de Clifford; a peer of parliament, was governor of our castle ; and also Piers 
Gavestone, Earl of Cornwall, who was the wicked, the extravagant, and, at length, the unfortunate 
favorite of Edward the Second. Richard de Grey, of Cod nor, was the last governor in the reign 
of Edward the Second; and William Eland was deputy under him, when Edward the Third seized 
Mortimer in the castle, and possibly was privy to the scheme. From this time to the 8th of Henry 
the Fourth, we only find Stephen Rumbylowe mentioned as governor of this castle; and, from 
the obscurity which attaches to his name, it is probable that he was deputy to some person of note. 
In that year we find Richard Grey, great-grandson to the before mentioned nobleman of that 
name from Codnor, constituted constable of Nottingham castle ; and chief ranger of Sherwood 
forest during life. From the death of this nobleman to the 23d of Henry the Sixth is another 
chasm, when Ralph Cromwell obtained a grant from the crown, to himself and heirs, to be 
constable of this castle, and also the wardenship of the forest of Sherwood, and the parks of 
Beskwood and Clypston ; who chose for his deputy one Geffery Knyveton, whom Deering takes to 
be Gualfrid Knyveton, who was mayor of Nottingham in 1447. Cromwell died without issue, in 
1455, and in the 15th of Edward the Fourth, we find Richard Hastings, Esq. constituted deputy 
constable of the castle, and warden of the forests and chases north of Trent, in the absence of 
William Lord Hastings, to whom, it is probable, he was a younger brother. Sir John Byron, 
was knighted by Henry the Seventh in the first year of his reign ; and the same year he was 
constituted constable of Nottingham castle, and steward and warden of the forest of Sherwood, 
and of Bilhagh, Birkland, Rum wood, Ouseland and Fulwood. 






THE CASTLE. 49 



Henry, the Second Earl of Rutland, was constituted chief justice of the forest of Sherwood, 
constable of Nottingham castle, and warden of the east and middle marches in the 2d of Edward 
the Sixth. And, whether from the elasticity of his conscience in religious matters, or from his 
peculiar merit, we do not exactly find; but he was the bearer of distinctive honors through Edward'g 
and Mary's reigns ; and when Elizabeth came to the crown, she added to them by creating him 
a knight of the garter, by making him lord lieutenant of the counties of Nottingham and Rutland, 
and lord president of the council. John, the Fourth Earl of Rutland, was made constable of our 
castle and lord lieutenant of the county by Elizabeth ; as was also Roger, his successor ; and lie was 
also made lord lieutenant of Lincolnshire by James the First. Francis, who succeeded his brother 
Roger in the earldom of Rutland, was made justice of the forests north of Trent by James; who 
also conferred upon him and his heirs the property of Nottingham castle, giving up all claim to it as 
a royal demense. He died without male issue in 1632; and his only daughter was mother to George 
Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham, who, after the restoration, claimed the castle in his mother's 
right, and sold it to William Cavendish, Marquis, and afterwards Duke of Newcastle ; and by 
different marriages it passed from the Cavendishes to the Holleses, Pelhams, and the Clintons, to 
the latter of which it now belongs. 

Deering, in a very ungentlemanly manner, and what is very reprehensible in him as a historian, 
omits to mention the celebrated Colonel Hutchinson in the list of governors of the castle. We 
shall have full occasion to speak of him in another place. 

THE PRESENT CASTLE. 

Deering, in page 186, gives two dates for the v laying of the foundation of this fabric ; and this 
he has done, as was rather customary with him, by attending to old stories, rather than trouble 
himself about inquiring into facts. Without attending, however, to the tales of old Jonathan^ 
Paramour, we will give the date, from what appears the most correct account, which probably was 
taken from the book of the Duke's steward. 

" An account of what Nottingham castle cost building, beginning February the 12th„, 1680, 
and ending April 14th, 1683. 

£. S. D. 

" His Grace the Duke of Newcastle paid with 500 h of wood 4731 11 5 

; ' And his Grace Henry Duke of Newcastle, October 16th, 1680 ------ 7259 6 7 

" February 5th 1680. To Mr. Wright for cedar wood ---.-..,. 120 

" To ditto for marble chimney pieces ------.-_____._ 52 

" To packing them .-----------._...._._ 3 13 4 

11 12th, to ditto for a saw for the cedar ---------_..._ 110 

t <i More paid from the 12th of February, 1680, to the 20th August, 1681 ... - 351 13 6 

< - More paid from the 20th of August, 1681, to the 12th of November ----- 552 14 5 

" More paid from the 12th of November, 1681, to the 18th of February - - - - 253 2 11 

*i From the 18th of February, 1682, to the 14th of April, 1683 677 5 7 

f£l4002 17 9'! 

N- ~~ *" - """""'' 



50 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



This short account of the expenses of building the castle is given as it appears in Deering, 
being of little value only as it preserves certain dates, as connected with certain payments, which 
leave no doubt respecting the time when the fabric was erected. 

Tiie building is about 72 yards by 30 ; and the front presents a rustic appearance, intermingled 
with the majestic grandeur of the Corinthian order. A double flight of stone stairs, guarded with 
railings of the same material, lead up the front, over which is placed an equestrian statue of the 
founder, with his face towards the north. The reason which tradition assigns for the face being 
placed this way is, that the Duke might seem to be on his way for Clumber, an enchanting seat 
belonging to the family in the north of this county.* In this case the founder's whim seems to 
have been almost prophetic ; for the succeeding Dukes have almost always had their backs 
towards the castle. The statue was cut out of one block of stone, which was brought from 
Castle Donington, in Leicestershire ; and it is to be wished that it had been larger, as the size of 
the man is very disproportionate to that of the horse ; in short it puts one in mind of one of our 
lordling officers mounted on a warlike steed. The statuary was one Wilson, whose name is no. 
longer of any import, except as he was afterwards knighted at the instigation of an amorous 
Leicestershire widow lady of the name of Putsey, who made him her husband, and her wealth 
made him a spendthrift, and spoilt him as an artist, till he had spent her fortune; when he collected 
the scattered remains of his former abilities, and returned to his trade. Upon the brow of the 
castle, just over the statue, the Duke's arms stand conspicuous, cut out of a block of stone • but 
the hand of time has snatched the strawberry leaves from the ducal coronet, and is also making very 
free with the arms and supporters. Indeed, until 1808, the who.le appearance of the building 
presented the picture of decay ; and robin-red-breasts and sparrows claimed pre-eminence among 
the inhabitants of this mighty fabric, originally designed as the seat of hospitality and glee. At 
that time the windows, &c. underwent a general repair, for the purpose of its being let in separate 
apartments. The yard used to be a place of resort for the people of this town to inhale the 
breezes which sweep the summit of the rock ; there being an arcade at the south end of the castle, 
under which they might take shelter during a shower ; but this amusement is now at an end, and 
his portership at the lodge growls a denial to those who wish to take a circumspective view of the 
place, except his temper be sweetened with a bribe. 

BRE WHO USE- YARD. 

This place, situate at the foot of the castle rock, took its name from the malt being made and 
the liquor brewed in it with which the old castle was supplied. And it is conjectured, and that too 
with much probability, that the passage, called Mortimer's hole, was originally made for the purpose 
of having the liquor conveyed through it to the castle. The kiln, which was used for malting, is 
now lost in an icehouse belonging to Mr. Topott, confectioner, in Bridlesmith-gate. — This place 
was formerly within the jurisdiction of the castle, and there were no dwellings in it but what were 



* Though tradition may be right in the reason, it is not so in the name, for the noble mansion at Clumber was not built till 1770, till which 
time the family seat was at Houghton, in the same delightful neighbourhood. 



BREWHOUSE-YARD. — CIRCUS, 51 



necessary for carrying- on the businesses of malting and brewing. But James the First converted 
it into a jurisdiction or constablery of itself; and granted it to Francis Philips, gent, and Edward 
Ferres, mercer, both of London, by a deed bearing date 1621 ; since which time a few more 
houses have been built, wherein a considerable share of dying and trimming has been carried on. 
On that side next the rock are two public-houses, the first of which has a parlour cut in the rock, 
with a hole at the top for the admission of light ; on which account it has obtained the name of the 
star parlour. The other public-house has a kitchen, two large chambers, and other conveniences 
cut in the rock. Dr. Thoroton says, this place was once an assylum for fanatics ; but for what 
reason he said so does not appear ; except in the intolerancy of his disposition he chose to cast this 
sarcasm upon the place, in consequence of a few dissenters holding communion therein, called the 
family of love, of whom more hereafter. 

THE CIRCUS, OR RIDIJYG SCHOOL, 

Stands within the liberties of the castle ; some part of the old circumambient wall having been 

removed to make way for its erection. It is a substantial brick building, 35 yards by 15 ; and the 

entrance into it is near the castle lodge. In the north end is a stone which exhibits the following 

inscription :-— 

This Riding School 

was erected bv 

the Nottingham Troop 

of Yeomanry Cavalry 

a. d. mdccxcviii. 

Equestrian and vaulting exercises are sometimes exhibited here, by troops of strollers, that 
occasionally visit the town. This is a public nuisance which has long and justly been complained 
of, and over which the town magistrates have no control, because the building is without their 
jurisdiction. These strolling swindlers generally find the means of putting off a large quantity of 
base silver, and the folly of the people enables them to take a larger quantity of good money 
away. 



52 



CHAPTER III. 

THE TOWN WALL, PRISONS, HALLS, AND BUILDINGS IN GENERAL. 



TOWN WALL. 

Ijeland says, " The town has been meatly welle wallid with stone, and hath had dyvers gates— 
" much of the waul is now down and the gates, saving two or three." We are told by various 
authors that Edward the Elder built this wall, about the year 910 ; and the reason for it may be 
found in the troubled state of his reign, as well from his cousin Ethelwald's pretensions to the 
crown, as from the continual incursions of the Danes, many of whom had settled in the interior of 
the kingdom. Ethelfleda, sister to Edward, and wife of Ethelbert, Duke and governor of Mercia, 
having been reduced to extremities in travail of her first child, she refused ever after to have any 
connubial intercourse with -her husband; not from superstitious fantasy, nor from feminine 
weakness ; but from a conviction, as far as respected herself, that the pains of child-birth 
overbalanced the pleasures of the nuptial embrace ; she therefore determined to lay aside the 
distaff, and to take up the sword in her own and her brother's defence, who, at that time, was much 
straitened by his enemies ; and her dukedom too being in great confusion, in consequence of the 
death of her husband, which happened soon after their separation.* To secure Nottingham 
against the ravages of her foes, which her brother Edward, had committed to her care, he erected 
this circumferating wall. In a prescript from Henry the third, dated October the 18th, 1256, that 
monarch commanded his bailiff's and burgesses of Nottingham, without delay, to make a postern 
in the wall of the said town, near the castle towards Lenton, of such a breadth and height that 
two armed horsemen, carrying two lances on their shoulders, might go in and out, where 
William, Archbishop of York, had appointed it, who made the king understand that it zoas 
expedient for him, his heirs, and the town. Deering concludes this postern to have stood where 
the reservoir now is at the back of the General Hospital, some remains of which were visible in 
his day. " From this postern," says Deering, " a bridge went over the town ditch, which place, 



* Fabian says in his Chronicle, " That when she had ones assayed the woe and sorrow that women feele and suffer in bearing of a child, 
" she hated the embrasinge of her husband ever after, and toke witnese of God and sayde, that it was not convenient or semeli to a king's 
" daughter to use such fleshlie likeinge whereof such sorrow should ensue." 

Dont be alarmed, fair reader, at the name of the distaff ; for dutchesses and queens thought it an honor to ply at it in days of yore. 
The beautiful and enchanting lines which Homer wove from the yarn spun by Penelope, when her lord and sovereign was in captivity, 
have rendered her name and virtues immortal. And there is now, at the Duke of Devonshire's mansion in Derbyshire, a set of bed 
curtains, the yarn of which was spun by the lady of that Duke who shone so conspicuous at the revolution in 1688. Thus the Dutchess 
wa^ spinning yarn for bed curtains, while the Duke was helping to weave the Bill of Rights. 






TOWN WALL. 53 



" though now filled up, as well as the whole ditch between this and Chapel-bar, bears, to this day, the 
" name of Boston-bridge, a corruption of Postern -bridge." " The ditch itself is now converted 
" into kitchen gardens, and is called at this time,* Butt-dike, from some neighbouring butts, 
" where the townsmen used to exercise themselves in shooting at a mark with bows and arrows." 
In Butt-dyke, (now Park-row,) which was let by the Corporation as building land, on perpetual 
leases about the year 1800, several portions of the old wall were found by the workmen, when 
digging for the foundations of the houses. From this place the wall ran on by Chapel-bar, then 
slanting to the left across Parliament-street, and making an angle up Roper's -close, it took an 
oblique direction through Pannier's-close ; thence to the house of correction, and down St. 
John's-street and Coalpit-lane ; then along Carter-gate, and the north side of Fisher-gate to the 
Hollow-stone, the east side of which it traversed, and then up Short-hill, and down the High, 
Middle, and Low-pavements to the end of Lister-gate ; thence up the south side of Castle-gate, 
and, taking in St. Nicholas's church, it passed on to Brewhouse-yard and joined the castle 
rock. 

Deering says, that the wall ran down Brightmore-hill (now Charity-school-hill) and formed an 
acute angle at the bottom, then turning up Mont-lane (now Middle-hill,) in a kind of curve to the 
Weekday-cross ; and then down the Pavements. That the angle, formed between these two 
narrow streets, was an appurtenance, or out-work to the fortifications formed by the wall, there 
seems no sort of doubt; for that part of the wall, which forms the acute angle that points towards 
the end of Narrow-marsh, bears evident marks, to this day, of having belonged to the erection we 
are speaking of; though it appears to have been built, as a military post, at a latter period than 
that at which the main wall was erected. 

Deering informs us, that, within ten years of the time at which he wrote, one of the old posterns, 
or little gates, was standing at the top of Drury-hill, facing Bridlesmith-gate. That the gate was 
taken down long before that time I have no doubt ; and doubt not also, that it was the arch of the 
postern which was remaining in our author's time, an engraving of which I have seen. In an open 



* There is no doubt of this place having taken its name from the practice of shooting at butts, with long bows and arrows, in ancient 
times : a butt, being a board, on which was painted coneentrical circles, and which was erected on a dike, or mound, to receive the arrows 
from the bow. There is reason to believe, that a plot of ground was devoted to the practice of archery in almost every township in the 
kingdom ; as to the excellent marksmen in this art were to be attributed several important victories gained by our forefathers. The use of 
the cross-bow was very ancient in Europe; and to it William the Norman owed the victory of Hastings, when he wrested the crown of 
England fiom the less fortunate Harold ; but the long bow probably was unknown in these parts till the return of Edward the First from 
a crusade in the holy land, where, from his conflicts with the Saracens, he became sensibly impressed with its superior powers. From 
this period till the reign of Charles the First, edicts were frequently issued by the crown, ard acts passed by parliament to enforce and 
regulate the exercise of the long bow : every male, above seven years old, except disabled by age or infirmity, was subject to penalties if 
be did nor appear at regular times, with a bow the length of his own height, and two arrows at least, to try his skill and strength before tbe 
butts ; and, by a statue of Henry the Eighth, every one above the age of twenty-four, was to stand eleven score yards from the butt. The 
general length of the arrows may be gathered from the following verse in Chevy Chace:— i* 

" He had a bow bent in his hand, 

" Made of a trusty tree : "■*». 

" An arrow of a cloth-yard long, 
" Up to the head drew he." 
Arrow making was a dist'iLCtand popular business in this county as late as the year 1724. 

o 



54 p HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

space under Mr. Heald's tap-room at the Golden-fleece, (which was a supporter to the eastern side 
of this postern arch, and which faces Bridlesmith-gate,) is standing a part of the old town wall, the 
dimensions of which are as follow : — in height 102 inches ; thickness 38 inches ; and six yards m 
length. In this part of the old wall is a gateway, the height of which, in the centre of the arch, 
is 92 inches, and 62 inches wide. Deering considers this to have been the entrance into a 
guard-house ; but I rather consider it to have been a sally-port ; and am borne out in this 
conjecture, from the top of its arch being nearly on a level with the street ; and from the opinion 
given of a sally-port by a writer in the English Encyclopedia, who says, iC a postern, or sally-port 
" in fortifications, is an underground passage, leading from the inner to the outer works, designed 
" for the conveyance of soldiers or artillery.'' This, very probably, may have been one of the 
ancient posterns ; and that near to it, which Deering calls a postern, may have been a small gate 
for the accommodation of foot passengers, and a regular communication between the suburbs and 
the town. From the particular orders given for the erection of the postern gate towards Lenton, 
we have a right to conclude, that it was not constructed in the usual way ; and, as such, it ought 
not to be a criterion by which to form our judgment respecting the postern at the top of Drury-hill. 
There was likewise another wall of a more modern date than the one we have been speaking of ; 
it ran from Chapel-bar down Parliament-street to Coalpit-lane; and the foundations of some of the 
houses in Parliament-row rest upon part of its remains. It is conjectured, that this wall was built 
by Henry the Second, in consequence of part of the old wall being destroyed, along with a portion 
of *the town, by Ralph Pagnel, in the interest of the Empress Maud, when she and Stephen were 
contending for the crown. Have we not a right to conclude, that much building was destroyed at 
this time on the north side of the town ; or why this contraction in the circle of the wall ? 

THE GUILDHALL AJVD THE TOWN GAOL, 

Stand on the south side of the Middle-pavement, concerning which, Richardson and Evans 
relate the following circumstance : — 

In the reign of George the First, while Judge Powis, was delivering his charge to the Grand 
Jury, a beam gave way, in consequence of which the whole assembly sought safety in flight, and 
among the rest the sheriff", who called out, will no one take care of the Judge ? he being old and 
infirm, and scarcely able to walk. He, however, arriving at the door in safety, stopped and 
denounced a fine upon the town for not keeping the assize hall in repair ; which, by an order 
from the King's bench was put in execution ; and the hall was shortly after rebuilt at the expense 
of the town. — That this statement is, either wholly, or in part, founded in error, seems impossible 
to doubt ; for Deering informs us, in express terms, that, till the year 1744, which was seventeen 
years after the death of George the First, u this hall was a low wooden building, wearing the 
" badge of antiquity ;" at which time he further says, " the whole front was pulled down, and faced 
" with a modern one, the top of which rests upon Tuscan columns, the roof of which is probably 
<f near 700 years old, and is framed not unlike that of Westminster, is perfectly sound, and therefore 
u preserved." Now, as Deering lived in the town at the time he mentions, and was then writing, 
qr collecting materials for, his " Antiquities," it would be the height of infidelity to dispute his 



GUILDHALL AND THE TOWN GAOL. — SHIRE HALL AND PRISON. 55 



testimony on the occasion. Throsby of Leicester commits a still more inexcusable error, where 
he says, that this hall was rebuilt in 1791, as he proves thereby, that he paid no attention to what 
lie wrote. The prison, which adjoins the hall, it is true, was rebuilt this year ; and the hall 
received some repairs. • 

This appears to be the prison mentioned in the confirming charter, granted by Edward the 
Third, which says, " The Burgesses of Nottingham, time out of mind, unto the time of King 
''John's charter, and since, had a gaol in the town for the custody of such as were taken therein 
c: belonging to the town." The present hall is a substantial brick building, ornamented with stone ; 
the northern front being supported by ten wooden pillars ; a shelter thereby being formed for 
passengers during a shower. A dial adorns the front, the principal parts of the clock to which it 
is attached were made in 1808 ; there being a dial also in the hall, facing the Judge's bench. 
The western front is guarded by iron palisades, through which we pass by means, of a gate, and 
mount a flight of stone steps, before we can enter the hall.* Here the assizes and sessions are 
held ; and likewise are held the mayor's and sheriffs' court once a fortnight, and the sheriffs' 
county court, once a month. Here too the gentlemen present themselves to their brother 
burgesses, when they are desirous of becoming candidates for the honor of filling up vacancies in 
the corporate body ; and here such elections are carried on. To the east side of the hall a 
handsome room is appended, called the council chamber, where the magistrates meet to do that 
part of the town's business which belongs to their department ; and in which the members of the 
corporation meet to transact the affairs of their body : a door leads out of the hall into this room, 
(where hangs the portrait of Sir Thomas White, the great benefactor to the town,) and another 
leads out of it to the prison and the keeper's apartments. In the council chamber are deposited the 
corporate records, secured in a chest with three locks ; the keys whereof are kept by the mayor, 
the junior alderman, and the senior coroner. During a number of years the soldiers stationed in the 
town had their guard-house under this hall ; but, in 1805, the room was converted into a kitchen 
for the gaoler. And, some time prior to the year 1642, a chamber over the old hall, was used as 
a depot by the trained bands of the county ■ in which year the Earl of Newcastle and Sir John 
Digby, endeavoured to seize the stores for the king's use ; but were prevented by Mr. John, 
afterwards colonel Hutchinson, at the head of the townspeople. 

For reasons, which will appear hereafter, I have no doubt but a hall and prison were erected 
upon this site by king John ; which will justify Deering's conjecture of the roof being near seven 
hundred years old. 

SHIRE HALL AND PRISON. 

It was customary long after the conquest, for one gentleman to be sheriff of two counties, which 
was the case with those of Nottingham and Derby up to the 10th of Elizabeth, 1568; and under the 
old hall (which stood where now stands the east end of the present hall,) was the felon prison for 
the two counties, till the 23d of Henry the Eighth, 1532, when an act was passed for erecting 

* The length of the building, from the bottom of the steps, comprehending the hall, council chamber, and prison, is 104 feet. The 
inside of tbe hall is 39 feet 4 inches, by 30 feet. 



56 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



gaols in different parts of the kingdom ; and in which Derby is expressly mentioned. Here too 
the assizes for Derby were held, in conjunction with those of Nottingham, until this time with the 
exception of a short interval in the reign of Henry the Third, and another in that of Edward the 
Third. 

Thoroton says, " whether this be the prison which King John erected at Nottingham, about the 
" third year of his reign, or that which is lower down in the street, under the town-hall, where the 
" assizes, &c. for that county are kept, I cannot determine."* Deering concludes this to be the 
prison which King John erected ; while, in the same page he furnishes proof of the contrary, 
by giving an extract from the charter of confirmation of Edward the Third, in these words : — 
u That the burgesses of Nottingham, time out of mind, unto the time of King John's charter, 
" and since, had a gaol in the town for the custody of such are were taken therein, as belonging 
" to the town." Now, if this charter had meant the county prison, it would not have distinctly 
mentioned a prison for the use of the burgesses of Nottingham ; because this prison was the 
receptacle for the felons of the counties of Nottingham and Derby till the time of Henry the 
Eighth, which, very probably, was the cause why Henry the Sixth, separated it from the county of 
the town. And, as King John was Earl of Nottingham, and had received many helps from it 
in his rebellion against his brother Richard, and in his successful usurpation over his nephew 
Arthur, whom he basely murdered, it is likely that he built the town prison (along with other 
favors which he conferred on the inhabitants, and which will be mentioned in their proper places) 
as a recompense for past services. To give an importance to the town, independent of the 
county, by enabling the inhabitants thereof to become the guardians of their own safety, in the 
rightful security of their own misguided and criminal brethren, would secure to himself their 
future support, in time of need. Hence I conclude, that the town prison was erected by King 
John, about the year 1202 ; and that the one under consideration had been erected long before, as 
the common prison for the towns as well as the counties of Nottingham and Derby ; probably 
about the time that Alfred divided the country into shires and hundreds, and regulated its internal 
polity, about the latter end of the ninth century. 

Deering found the remains of an old table in the late hall containing an inscription, partly 
defaced, which presented the following : — cc These whose names and arms are here set down, being 
" then in the commission of the peace for this county, were contributors to the building of this 
" hall, Anno Dom. 1618. Lord Cavendish, Lord Stanhope, Sir Percival Willoughby, Knt. Sir 
"John Byron, Sir George Parkyns, Knt. Sir George Lascelles, Knt. Sir Gervas Clifton, Bart. Sir 
if Francis Leek, Knt. Sir Thomas Hutchinson, Knt. Folk Cartwright, Esq. Hardolph Wastnes, 
" Esq. Robert Pierpoint, Esq. Robert Sutton, Esq. John Wood, Esq. Robert Williamson, Esq. 
ic Lancelot Rolleston, Esq. Gervase Trevery, Esq." In the same page our author informs us, that 
John Boun, sergeant at law,f some years before the civil wars, gave a house which adjoined the 
western extremity of the hall, and also adjoining to a house belonging to Sir Thomas Hutchinson, 



* Our author uses the word county, from this town being a county of itself. 

f By referring to Thoroton, we find that this was Gilbert Boun, the son of John, that made a present of this house to the county. 



SHIRE HALL AND PRISON. S7 



to the county for the greater convenience of trying nisi prius causes ; which would be shortly 
after the time that the inscribed table was made. Hence it is fair to conclude, that our author 
took the word repairing for that of building in the inscription, which he says was partly obliterated, 
for if the hall had been recently built, it would not have stood in need of an enlargement at that 
time. The patched state, too, of the walls, which were originally built of stone, and the barn-like 
appearance of the hall, in 1750, with the gable end towards the street, which was used as a hayloft, 
altogether bespeak its erection much earlier than 1618. The gentlemen, whose names were found 
upon the table, probably were subscribers to the converting of sergeant Boun's house into a nisi 
prius court; which conclusion will solve the enigma. Notwithstanding this addition to the hal!, 
it was still inadequate, in point of size, to the business done in it ; we therefore find Julius 
Hutchinson, Esq. shortly after the restoration, selling the house which formerly belonged to Sir 
Thomas Hutchinson, and which is named above, for the purpose of making a further addition to 
the hall. 

After this twofold addition to the hall, it was still in so wretched a state in Deering's time, as to 
cause him to speak of it in a very contemptible style ; and he informs us that one of the judges 
kid a fine of two thousand pounds on the county, because the hall was not a fit place wherein to 
transact assize business. Here is the foundation of the tale told by Richardson and Evans : and 
thus it appears to have been the county, and not the town, that had been so remiss in providing a 
proper place for the accommodation of the king's representative.* 

The present hall, which has a conspicuous appearance on the south side of the High pavement, 
and which occupies the site of the old one, including the site also of the two houses above mentioned, 
Avas built in the year 1770. It is a strong, heavy looking stone building ; the front being divided 
from the street by a range of iron railing. You pass through the gates, which form a part of this 
fence, and then proceed up a flight of steps to the grand entrance, on the pediment over which are 
engraved the Fasces and Pileus, emblematic of this being the place for the administration of 
public justice. The mind can contemplate this building, without being disgusted with the appearance 
of heavy chains, which disgrace the fronts of many other buildings of a like description. On 
entering you find yourself in a large area ; and on the east is the court where the crown business 
is done ; and on the west is that where nisi prius causes are tried. In each court there is a 
gallery, with the use of which the high sheriff accommodates his friends ; and on the opposite side 
is one from which the grand jury present their bills. Had the architect intended to contrive the 
interior of this structure, to prevent the audience from hearing the pleadings, he could not have 



* Some time after the above was prepared for the press, a very scarce book, written by Sir Thomas Parkyns, Rsrt. of Bunny, fell in my 
hands. It was printed in H24, and is called " Queries and Reasons against erecting a county hall in Nottingham market-place." He 
tays th<! halt floor fell through at the assizes the previous year, which caused a fine of jC2000 to be laid on the county. In consequence 
the magistrates met at Rufford on the 24th April, 1724, and signed an ordeT for joining the Corporation in the expense of erecting a ball 
in the market-place, for the joint use of the town and county. Fortunately this plan was not carried into execution. This date corresponds 
with that at which the exchange hall was erected; and no doubt this is the hall Which was intended for the joint u»e of the town aad 
county. 

P 



5$ HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



succeeded better ; for the lengthened-out vibration of the sound, with its responding- echoes, 
remind you of Babel's confusion of tongues.* 

Facing the grand entrance is the council chamber, on each side of the door of which are to be 
seen an old flag, a flag-staff, and kettle drum ; and over the door is an inscription in Latin, written 
by Deering, relative to the services performed by the Duke of Kington's light horse at the battle 
of Culloden, which was fought on the 17th April, 1746; to which regiment the flags, &c. belonged. 
In this chamber the county magistrates meet to transact public business. At the west end of the 
room hang the full length portraits of their present majesties, George the Third and Queen 
Charlotte, in elegant gilt frames ; and at the bottom of each is inscribed in brass these words " The 
" gift of the Honorable Charles Herbet Pierrepont, 1805." In this hall too, the knights of the 
shire are elected. Behind the hall, and facing a street called Narrow-marsh, are the prisons for 
debtors and felons, where the ponderous walls rise in awful succession four stories high. The 
debtors' yard, under which are the felons' cells, is a pleasant place, as far as a prison can merit 
that appellation. 

In this prison two sisters, whose names, in what they called a state of wedlock, were Rouse and 
Bush, suffered twelve years' imprisonment, on a point of conscience. They belonged to a religions 
sect that sprung up about thirty years ago at Calverton, a village seven miles hence. Their tenets 
are similar to those of the quakers, except their keeping a regular preacher ; and, of course, they 
hold the marriage ceremony, as performed in the established church, as inimical to their faith; 
and therefore marry their own way.f Mrs. Bush, soon after her marriage, according to the rites 
of the sect, cc found herself in that situation in which women wish to be who love their lords ;" 
and the overseer of the parish determined to make her feel the exercise of his authority ; he 
accordingly took her to a magistrate to compel her to father her child — she declared herself a 
married woman ; and, as such, refused obedience. She was then driven knee-deep in snow to 
Soiitlvwell house of correction, where, under the care of keeper Adams, a man whose cruelty and 
avarice went hand-in-hand, she lay-in, in- a room which had an unglazed window, and through 
which the snow blew in flakes upon her bed of straw. She was liberated from this dreary 
situation, but soon after received a citation from the spiritual court, to which she paid no attention. 
This contempt brought upon her the full vengeance of the spiritual thunder. She was brought 
to this gaol, and to every parliamentary, and other efforts which were made to obtain her's and 
her sister's liberation, this answer was invariably made — they must be married in the Church of 
England, or they must father their chidlren, (for they had several in the gaol) ; with which 
conditions they as invariably refused to comply. Thus these two women sacrificed to conscience 
that liberty which is so highly valued by all mankind. The unconquerable disposition of their 

* The front of the hall, including the public entrance into the prison at the east end, and'a private one at the west end, extends 117 feet. 
Th< old hall was 11 and a half feet in front, and sergeant Boun's house was 40 feet; consequently the house bought of Julius Hutchinsoo 
was 49 feet and a half. 

f In the account of Mrs. Bush's sufferings, the reader will see those of Mrs. Rowe also; except that the latter was not confined in 
Southwell House of Correction ; and which account I had from the women themselves. 



MRS. BUSH. HOUSE OP CORRECTION. 59 



minds, and the unrelenting severity of the ecclesiastical court, seemed to leave to death their 
enlargement ; which would have stampt eternal odium on the character of the then, metropolitan 
of the diocese of York : this he probably foresaw • and therefore connived at their liberation, 
which took place under the following circumstances : — In the year 1798, when the prison wall, 
facing Narrow-marsh, was rebuilding, and new cells for th& felons were preparing, the prison 
door was purposely set open ; a significant hint was given them, of which they took advantage ; 
and the next day the gaoler gave up their prison utensils, and received his fees. Thus ended 
the most extraordinary imprisonment which has disgraced the British annals since the revolution 
in 1688.* Although it is impossible not to sympathize with these objects of spiritual vengeance, 
in the sufferings they endured ; yet we must condemn the prejudice which gave those sufferings 
birth. Often has the writer of these pages heard these women sigh for liberty ; and, with the 
same breath, glory in the persecution they underwent ; as though they expected their heroism to 
be the title page to eternal fame. But how vain is that heroism which brings nothing but trouble 
in its train, and which holds up bad example as a mirror to public view ! 

Of all the moral and political institutions, which have resulted from human ingenuity, not one 
bas tended so much to soften down the ferocity of man, and to fit him for polished life, as has that 
of marriage, when regulated by law. Were the marriage laws to be dispensed with, you would 
soon see the sons of dissipation and debauchery chasing every tender object that would administer 
to their desires ; while those unhappy females, on whom they had satiated their lust, would, along 
with their children, become objects of derision to the debauchee, of commisseration to the 
reflecting and humane part of mankind, and logs upon the wheels of society at large. The odium, 
which attaches itself to the character of the libertine, would gradually wear away ; the floodgates 
of immorality would be cast open ; and he would be considered the most meritorious, who was the 
most successful in sacrificing virtue to his impure desires. Various attempts have been made, at 
different periods of time, to dispense with marriage rites as a religious ceremony, and to legitimize 
the offspring of fortuitous embrace ; but, necessity has always suppressed the delusion, and has 
proved that mere theoretic philosophers are unfit to legislate for the general happiness of mankind. 

THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, OR ST. JOHN s PRISON, 

Stands in the angle between the south end of Glasshouse-lane and the west end of St. John's- 
street, facing the north end of Broad-lane. The house, or convent of the hospitallers of St. John 
of Jerusalem stood on the site of this erection, some remains of which form part of the northern 
wall at the present time. The hospitallers also held considerable estates in this town, which were 
taken from them by Henry the Eighth, and given to the Corporation by Edward the Sixth, to 
enable them to keep the Trent-bridges in repair: the convent they converted into its present use. 
An additional wing was added in 1806 and 7, at the expense of the town. It is said that the 
convent was in being so early as 1215. 



f Mrs. Bush buried her husband sometime after, and has siuce married again the same way; as have man}' others of the same 
profession, without being molested by the civil or ecclesiastical authorities. 



00 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



"«'»' 



THE EXCHANGE HALL, 

Or as some call it, " The New Change/' was began to be built in 1724, in the mayoralty of 
Marmaduke Pennel, who was also the architect. It is a handsome brick building, the front being 
123 feet long, and supported by ten stone and four brick pillars. Behind the pillars is a handsome 
piazza, about four paces wide, wtiich is graced with a variety of tradesmen's shops. The erecting 
of this fabric cost the Corporation about £2400. In the centre of the front is one large niche, 
and two smaller ones beneath it, which were originally designed to contain the statues of George 
the First, and the Prince and Princess of Wales ; but which design never was carried into 
execution. Above the niches is a clock*, accompanied with a bell, which, independent of giving 
the hour, is used as an alarm bellf , whenever the Magistrates see it necessary to call the posse 
comitatus to their aid. On the top of the building stands the figure of Astrea, the Goddess of 
Justice, exhibiting to the market-people her sword and her scales. 

Near the centre of the front is a pair of folding doors, through which you pass, by a flight of 
stairs, which leads into what is called ".The Long Room," which goes over the dark shambles. 
Here the representatives for the town are elected ; except the candidates agree to have a booth. 
Here the dry and liquid measures are annually tried by the standard ones belonging to the 
Corporation. Here the assizes and sessions would be held, if the Guildhall should be unfit for 
those purposes ; and here the Mayor and Sheriffs used to give their annual feasts ; which are now 
chiefly held in what is called " The Hall," a large and commodious room, the entrance into which 
is opposite the other, a few steps higher from the first landing. It is sometimes used as an assembly 
room, for which purpose an orchestra has been erected on the north side, to which there is a 
communication with the adjoining public-house. Here the candidates for representing the town in 
parliament are nominated. Here the members of the Corporation, robe themselves preparative to 
their proceeding through the fairs to make proclamation ; and, here, from one of the front 
windows, which face the Market-place, are all proclamations first given out. On the north side of 



* This elock was matle by o*ie Woolley, of Codnor* in the county of Derby, who was owe of those eccentric characters which should be 
handed to posterity, as a proof that a man's possessing wealth without mind, is tike a swine clad in silk. When young he was partial to 
shooting ; but being detected at his sport upon the estate of the depraved William Andrew Home, Es-q. of Botterley , who was executed on 
the 1 lth December, 1759, at Nottingham, for the murder of a child, and compelled by him to pay the penalty, he made avow never to 
cease from labor, except when nature compelled him, till he had obtained sufficient property to justify him in following his favorite sport, 
without dreading the frowns of his haughty neighbour. He accordingly fell to work, and continued at it till he was weary, when he reisteid r 
and to it again, a plan which he pursued without any regard to night and day. He denied himself the use of an ordinary bed, a*nd of every 
other comfort, as well as necessary, except of the meanest kind. And when he had acquired property to qualify him to Carry a gun, he 
bad lost all relish for the sport; and he continued to labour at clock-making, except when he found an opportunity of traffrcing in land, 
till he had amassed a very considerable fortwne, which he bequeathed to one of his relations. I believe he died sometime about 1770. One 
more anecdote will give his character in full : — A person came one Sunday to pay him for a clock, who, after having paid tie money was 
invited by Wooliey to stay dinner; when, to which invitation he had assented, hishostsaid, "Well then I will boil a whole penny-loaf; 
otherwise I should have boiled only half of one," which he did over a cow-dung fire ; and this constituted the whole of the fare. 

f This hell was originally cast for a Chapel of Ease, at Gunthorpe ; but the latter falling to decay, one Loach, a rope-maker, stole the 
bell, and buried it in his garden ; but, the theft being discovered, he fled to avoid the vengeance of th<j law. And when the Messrs. 
Lambert, of this town, built a cotton mill at Lowdham, thpy bought the bell for the use of the mill; and when they failed in 1807, it was 
bought by the Corporation of this town, and applied to its present use. The old bell was cast at a, very early period ; and, the inscription 
on it was, " When Gabriel blows his horn, the time to sell your corn then is." 






EXCHANGE- HALL. — MARKET-PLACE. 61 



the dark shambles, which, when in a fitted-up state, consist of seventeen shops, are the light ones ; 
which consist of twenty-seven shops; and over them, till the year 1747, was the spice chamber, 
so called from people standing near it to sell grocery goods, who used, to come from Mansfield, 
Loughborough, &c. before the spirit of trading adventure in this town rendered such itinerant 
dealers unnecessary.* The cross shambles, which lead from the top of Shoe-booths to the light 
ones, contain ten stalls. Between the top of the light shambles, and a passage which leads from 
Smithy-row, is a space which used to be called Dunkirk, by way of reproach: probably from dun, 
which signifies dark, or gloomy; and, if we maybe allowed the conjecture, it is probable that 
kirk has been added in consequence of the resident Scots meeting near the place for the purposes 
of religious worship. This, however, is all conjecture ; and the reader may pass it by with a 
smile, or give it a serious thought. This place used to be occupied with butchers' stalls ; and, if 
any person had bought an inferior piece of meat, his neighbour would jocosely observe, " what ! 
" you have been to Dunkirk \" The place is still used for the same purpose ; but is perfectly 
commodious respecting light. Some few butchers' stalls are found above this place, in an entry 
which leads direct from the top of the light shambles into High-street. 

MARKET-PLACE. 

When the traveller enters this town by way of Chapel-bar, he is highly charmed with a view of 
the finest market-place in England, comprehending an area of four acres and twenty-six perches. 
Here are held all the fairs and markets ; the former of which are, Plough-day fair, Good-Friday 
fair, March (7) fair, May (7) fair, and the great one held on the 2d October, commonly called 
" Goose fair." We have three regular market-days, viz. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday ; the 
latter being the principal one. The fact is however, that there are stalls out every day in the year, 
when the weather will permit, except Sundays, therefore the market may be considered as being 
perpetual. Until about the year 1711, the market-place was divided lengthwise by a wall breast high, 
which was taken down at that time, and other improvements were made. On the north side of the wall 
was the market for grain and meal, as well as for the wares of clothiers, milliners, hardwaremen, 
turners, gardeners, &c. and on the south side between the wall and a long hanging bank, the horse 
market was held : the place not being paved occasioned it to be called the sands. At the east end 
of this division, joiners' and coopers' articles were sold, as well as unwrought timber, hence 
Timber-hill. At the west end, between the horse market and Friar-row, which comprehended the 
space between Wheeler-gate and St. James's-street, was the market for horned cattle, sheep, and 
swine ; hence Friar-row received the name of Beastmarket-hill. 

At the time the wall was removed, the market-place was paved, and two ancient crosses were 
taken down ; one called the butter-cross, stood facing the exchange, and consisted of six pillars, 
with a tiled roof, and four rows of steps encircled the base ; round this the butter-market was held. 
The other, called the malt-cross, stood in the centre between Sheep-lane and St. James's-street, 
and consisted of one column, surrounded at its base with ten rows of steps. On this site the late 



* Before the reformation, this spirit was purposely suppressed by the Monks of Lenton, who had the power of cauains all shops to be 
shut np in this town during the fairs held at that Tillage. Q 



62 HISTORY OV NOTTINGHAM. 



malt-cross was erected, which was raised four steps high, upon which stood six pillars, covered 
with a tiled roof, and the whole surmounted with six dials and a fane. About the time that these 
alterations were made in the market-place, the hen-cross and weekday-cross were erected : the 
former consisted of one large column supported by an hexangular base four steps high, and stood 
at the top of the Poultry ; and the latter also consisted of one column, on an octangular base, 
four steps high ; and it stood at the south end of Market-street, facing the guildhall, where now 
stands a public pump. Here the Wednesday market used to be held, till it was removed at the 
instigation of Alderman Worth ington, in 1800. This has Taeen attempted to be brought back ; 
and the corporation passed a vote of hall for that purpose ; but for want of money to remove some 
buildings, to render the place more commodious, the plan has been given up. Crosses which 
may be considered as relics of Popery were erected in public market-places for the purpose of 
exciting notions of devotion and equity in the breasts of those who might attend to sell their wares; 
but since the original intent, seems to have been lost, and the superstitious practices of Popery in 
this country are become nearly extinct, the corporation have done right in ordering the market- 
crosses to be removed. The Hen-cross was taken down in 1801 ; and the Malt-cross and 
Weekday-cross in 1804.^ 

Two elm trees used to wave their umbrageous branches upon Timber-hill ; and benches were 
placed around them, whereon people might sit either for pleasure or repose ; but, prostitutes and 
idlers of all classes making them the nests of obscenity and filth, the tradesmen in the neighbourhood 
petitioned to have the trees taken down, which was done in 1791. f 



* The extraordinary reverence with which public crosses were viewed in the days of popery, may be gathered from the following 
passage in " The Merry Devil of Edmonton : — 

" But there are crosses wife ; here's one at Waltham, 

" Another at the Abbey, and the third 

" At Ceston ; and 'tis omnious to pass 

" Any of these without a Pater- noster." 
+ In the copy which I possess of Dealing's Antiquities, is a marginal note in the hand-writing of Mr. Ayscough, printer of the work, ia 
these words: — "Widow Mary Brown, relict of Edward Brown, barber, sells to William Noon, the Saracen's Head, in Carter-gate and 
'* Boot-lane, a house leading-to the High Cross, dated 1106. Query— Where did the High Cross stand?" By examining Spede's map of the 
town, printed in 1610, we find the High Cross standing opposite 10 the bottom of Barker-gate, on the spot where now stands the Prince of 
Wales public-house; and the apparently odd connection of Carter-gate and Boot-lane is reconciled by the fact of Parliament-street then 
bearing the name of Carter-gate. The Saracen's Head used to be where the Milton's Head is now, at the south-east corner of the street ; 
and not in the middle of the street, as it was some time ago. By this map too we find, that only two other Crosses were then standing in the 
town viz. the Butter Cross and the Hen Cross; the Malt Cross not being then ir. existence. Just above the Butter Cross there stood an 
isolated buildins, which in the map bas the appearance of a market-house. And, still a little further to the west, and about thirty yards 
from the top of Wheeler-gate, bearing a little up Timber-hill, stood the Cuckstool, as the machine was called, for punishing, by exposure, 
scolding wives and other termagants. The appearance of this machine in the map is that of a square inclosure, erected on a single post, 
about larse enough to hold two persons ; and two holes distinctly appear for two heads to be exposed through at one time. Blackstone, 
when speaking of common nuisances, says, "Lastly, a common scold, communis rixatrix (for our law-latin confines it to the feminine 
" gender) is a public nuisance to her neighbourhood. For which offence she may be indicted ; and, if convicted, shall be sentenced to be 
" placed in a certain engine of correction called the trebucket, castigatory, or cucking-stool, which, in the Saxon language, signifies the 
" scolding-stool ; though now it is frequently corrupted into ducking-stool, because the residue of the judgment is, that when she is placed 
" therein, she shall be plunged in the water for her punishment." The offenders, however, that were placed in the engine we are speakirg 
of, if they had to make the amende honorable by adult baptism, must have had the water cast upon them ; because there was no convenience 
for plunging them into it. 
Another detached house stood in the market-place nearly opposite to the end of Greyhound-street. 



MARKET-PLACE. 63 



PRESENT ARRANGEMENT OF THE MARKET-PLACE. 

The north side, from Sheep-lane upwards, is occupied by gardeners ; and the other side, from 
Mount-street to St. James's-street, in the proper season, is occupied by the carts and waggons of 
those who bring peas to market. A little lower down, and near the centre from side to side, the 
corn market is held : here the neighbouring farmers attend on a Saturday, between the hours of 
twelve and two, to make bargains and settle the price of grain ; not however, as formerly, with 
the bulk of their corn ; but with samples in their pockets. Between this place and Beastmarket-hill, 
where country carriers set their carts, are placed the folds for sheep and swine : the fruit market 
extends from Wheeler-gate to Peck-lane. North of the fruit market, stalls are ranged in a parallel 
line with it, except that a passage for carts is left between them and the exchange : then comes 
the butter market ; and next to that are two other rows of stalls, equal in length to the first, with 
a space between them for passengers. Between the last row of stalls and the Long-row is the 
market for baskets, chairs and coopers' ware ; east of which, to the exchange, is the fish market, 
and from Sheep-lane, to where the baskets, &c. are placed, is the market for earthenware, which 
is always most abundantly supplied. The beast market has been removed twice within a few 
years: it was first removed to an open space between the infirmary gates and the castle lodge ; 
and since -into Parliament-street, where, since 1807, stallions are shewn, in consequence of a poor 
country woman having been killed by one in the Market-place. The fowl market is held in the 
Poultry, as the word imports; which extends from Peck-lane to Bridlesmith-gate. The whole 
length of Smithy-row stand two rows of country butchers' stalls ; though town butchers stand there 
too, for want of other conveniency. This arrangement must be considered as relating to Saturday ; 
as, on other market days, the market presents a medley appearance in front of the exchange.* 
What is very ornamental, and gives the market-place an interesting appearance, is its being nearly 
surrounded with piazzas, which afford a shelter in wet weather, and a pleasant walk at other times. 

About the year 1750, an attempt was made to establish a Monday market in St. Peter's-square, 
and, though it failed, it had the effect of causing the place to be paved, which till then was a mere 
sink. A cross was also raised upon four pillars, which was roofed, and afterwards walied in, to 
serve as a place wherein to keep the fire engines ; but in 1787, it was taken down, and a single 
column was raised in its place, which is railed round, and ornamented with four lamps, A sough 
under this column, is the common sewer of a considerable part of the town, other soughs emptying 



! * The market is regulated by the corporate servants, to whom every person, except a burgess of the town, who sets up a stall or 
otherwise occupies a space by laying articles on the ground to sell, or by offering them to sale in a cart or waggon, pays one penny as a 
market toll ; a burgess, when he first sets up a stall pays a shilling to the mayoress's sergeant, and is then exempt from toll. .And every 
country butcher, who erects a stall in the country shambles, pays a shilling a week j and a town butcher, whether burgess or not, sixpence. 
It was anciently a custom for a butcher to bait a bull, before he was permitted to slaughter him in the town, for which purpose a rin<* was 
fixed in the market-place, and the mayoress found a rope, for which she received a shilling from each burgess when he took up his freedom • 
this was called the mayoress's pin-money. This barbarous custom is now laid aside ; and a butcher is privileged to slaughter a bull, oa 
condition of paying a shilling to the mayoress's sergeant, which is his perquisite. 



64 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



themselves into it ; the principal of which is one, that comes from the exchange, down Peck-lane 
and Peter-gate, which was much enlarged in 1808, at an expense of £900, two-thirds of which 
being charged on St. Mary's parish. 



ENGLISH AND FREJYCH BOROUGHS. 



The Normans, soon after the conquest, divided thjj town into two boroughs, and if blood were 
shed by violence in the French borough, the offender was fined eighteen shillings to the king- • 
whereas, for a like offence in the English borough, the fine was but six shillings #nd fourpence. 
This badge of distinctive slavery continued until the time of Charles the First, when the blood 
then shed seems to have washed it away. These, two boroughs were divided by a line running 
from the forest, and on Milton-street, Clumber-street, High-street, Bridlesmith-gate, Drury-hill, 
Middle-marsh, Turncalf-alley, and over the meadows to the Trent-road: the eastern division 
belonging to the English, and the western to the French. Till the year 1714, separate juries 
were empannelled ; and there were two town-halls : that belonging to the French stood on the 
site where now stands the house of Alderman Ashwell, at the north-west corner of Wheeler-gate. 

BUILDINGS IJY GENERAL. 

Notwithstanding the town had been considered a place of importance by the Saxon monarchs, 
particularly by Edward the Elder, it had received so much injury by the Danes, and, probably, by 
the Normans when they first settled here, that when Doomsday-book was made, in the latter end 
of the eleventh century, it was reduced to a mere skeleton. Camden says in the reign of Edward 
the Confessor, according to Doomsday-book, there were two mints in the town that yielded forty 
shillings. And in the extract which Deering has given from the same ancient record, are the 
following words : — " In the time of Edward the Confessor, Snottingham yielded rent, eighteen 
" pounds. When Doomsday was made, thirty pounds ; and ten pounds of the mint." This 
along with the importance attached to Nottingham as a military station, confirms the opinion of its 
being the capital of the kingdom of Mercia, and that a mint was established here at the time. 
And, though Egbert, in 823, united the nation into one great monarchy, prudence would direct 
him not to deprive the warlike sons of Nottingham of so distinctive a privilege, as that of possessing 
a mint, which of course, attached to them an importance in the eyes of their neighbours, and would 
be a plausible pretence for him to impose an additional tax upon them ; for ambition is more 
content to be deprived of part of its wealth than of a bauble, which gives it consequence in the 
eyes of the multitude. But William the Norman, who broke down the mounds of every thing 
which was sacred to fancy, patriotism, or antiquity, would act regardless of the people's tenacity ; 
and hence we hear no more after his time of the Nottingham mint. 

From the time that Doomsday-book was written, to the reign of Henry the Eighth, we have no 
account of the buildings of this town ; but, from its propinquity to the forest, the inhabitants 
would hare little difficulty in procuring timber, of which the ribs of their houses were formed ; the 
spaces between being filled up with plaster, which they would obtain Trom Thrumpton and 
Newark, as well as from several places in Derbyshire, through the medium of the Trent. Leland 






BUILDINGS IN GENERAL. 65 



says,, " Nottingham is both a large towne and welle builded for tymber and plaister."* Timber 
and plaster, or mud, constituted the generality of building through the kingdom., till the latter end 
of Elizabeth's,, or the beginning- of James's reign ; for though Alfred caused brick and stone 
buildings to be erected in 886 , yet very few, except the king's palaces., the barons' mansions, and 
religious houses, were dignified with brick and stone till centuries afterwards. 

Many of the streets in Nottingham are narrow, and formerly they were more so, from the 
second story of the houses projecting over the first, some few of which description are in being at 
the present day. Many of the houses of antiquity, as well in other towns as this, were remarkable 
for the small size of their windows ; and also for the windows being placed at the opposite 
extremity to the fireplace : this, probably originated in the fantastical notion, that the darksomeness 
of a habitation caused righteousness to dwell therein, from its similarity to the gloomy seclusion 
of a monastic cell.f • 

In the 27th of Henry the Eighth, a statute was enacted, directing Nottingham, along- with some 
other towns, to be re-edified, under the following forfeitures for neglect, viz. That, if the owners 
of the decayed houses did not re-edify them within three years, they should become the property 
of the lord of the manor — if he neglected the same length of time they should be seized by the 
corporate body, where such bodies existed ; and if they should be equally neglectful, the same 
length of time, the houses were to revert to their original owners. As history does not furnish us 
with a clew to lead to the cause of such dilapidation of buildings as to justify such an edict, 
conjecture alone must be our guide. It could not be the result of the Earl of Gloucester's burning 
a part of the town, when engaged for the Empress Maud in 1140, as the lapse of time between 
the two dates was 386 years ; and, as in that space several monarchs had resided here occasionally, 
who would have caused such marked devastation to have been obliterated. It is not impossible but 
the buildings might have received some damage in an unrecorded affray between the Yorkists and 
Lancastrians, which occasioned the ordinance in question, and which, from the state Leland found 
the town in a few years after its being issued, appears to have been immediately complied with. 
After all, might it not be a state trick played off by Henry, to excite a rivalship in internal 
improvement, and thereby give employment to numbers of vagabonds, who had lost their 
dependence on the monastries about two years before, to keep them out of mischief; and likewise 
to give an impulse to trade, that the vassals, by having a prospect of gaining an independent 
livelihood, might be induced to quit the service of their lords, and thereby give the finishing blow 
to the feudal system, which had given so much trouble to his ancestors, and which, at that time, was 
groaning its own funeral knell ? 

The first tiled roof in this town was laid upon a house on the Long-row, in 1503, which belonged to a 
Mr. Staunton, and was once the Unicorn inn. And the first brick house was built in 1615, which was 
formerly the Green Dragon inn, on the Long-row ; but has been rebuilt within a few years, and is now 



' * It was customary some ages ago for the people of this town to be very profuse in the use of timber ; so much so that whole flights of 
stairs were made of solid blocks. 

f It is a jocose conclusion, but not the less true on that account, that as the reason of man began to expand, be enlarged the size of his 
*indow»- 

R 



0(5 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



known bv the sign of the Derby Arms. The houses of the working class, at the present time, 
generally consist of a cellar, a room to dwell in., called the houseplace, a chamber, a shop over it to 
work in, a room in the roof, called a cockloft, and a small pantry; though in the manner of building- 
there are many exceptions, some for the better and some for the worse; and they are generally 
composed of plaster floors for the upper rooms, lightly timbered -with deal; brick walls, 
some four and a half, and some nine inches thick ; and cast-iron grates for fireplaces, frequently 
with ovens and boilers of the same material. 

Just after the death of Charles the First, Nottingham put on a new dress, and its countenance 
brightened up, as does that of a widow, when re-united in peace to her family, that had lon«- been 
in strife through the contention of her sons. No sooner had the death of that monarch restored 
peace to the town, than the gentlemen vied with each other who should first rebuild and beautify 
their houses, or erect new ones : the small windows, with stone frames, fixed in semi-octangular 
projectments, gave way to large sashes, placed in square and graceful fronts; and mid day lioht 
succeeded to twilight gloom throughout the habitations. 

Plumtree-house, on the north side of St. Mary's church-yard, stands conspicuous, for a°-e as well 
as beauty, it having been built in the early part of the last century ; and it promises fair to brave 
the blasts of many succeeding years. — King's-place, in Stoney-street, is an extensive and a 
handsome building, of a modern date : here several genteel families reside.- — Short-hill and the 
south side of the High-pavement present a range of distinguished buildings ; and the delightful 
view they command over the meadows has few equals in perspective. — The mansion of John 
Fellows, Esq. on the north side of the High-pavement, with its rural paddock in front, form an 
enchanting country seat in the heart of the town ; the sight of which arrests the traveller as he 
passes along, and fills him with surprise, on beholding so charming a vista. — The ancient family 
mansion of the Sherwins, at the north-east end of Pilcher-gate, has long been admired for its 
commanding appearance : on its becoming the property of Mr. Bigsby, attorn ey-at-law, who is a 
gentleman of taste and literature, he, in 1807, expended a large sum of money in fitting it up anew 
in the inside, and in stuccoing it without. Near the last mentioned mansion, on the east side of 
St. Mary's-gate, stands a handsome stone house, which was built by the late lawyer Turner. The 
ground on which these two houses stand is the highest in the town, except a small plot of garden 
ground in front of them both. The houses of John Hancock and Mark Huish, Esqrs. northward, 
of the last mentioned house, are noble edifices. The house of Mr. Stoney, on the Middle-pavement, 
which joins the town prison, is celebrated for its excellent brick-work ; and also for being the 
residence of the Judges at the assize. Just opposite to this stands the handsome structure belonging 
to Mr. Coldham, attorney-at-law and town clerk. It is a brick building stuccoed over, and then 
painted with what is called Roman compo* which gives it the exact resemblance of stone. The 
houses of Mrs. Gawthorn, the late Mr. ^Seville's, and that of Mr. Allsopp, on the south side of the 



* Compo is an abbreviation of tbe Latin word compono, which implies, to compose, to beautify, to adorn. The attorney's office Selonginsr 
to Mr. Allsopp, on the north side of the Low-pavement, which was built in 180S, was the first building in this town which was thus beautified: 
since that time many other buildings have assumed the same appearance. 



BUILDINGS IN GENERAL. THURLAND-HALL. 67 



m«My 1W-— y*? 



Low-pavement, attract attention, particularly for the south view which they command over the 
meadows. As we pass up Castle-gate, the mansions of William and John Elliott, Esqs. forcibly 
arrest our attention, amidst many others equally well built. And at the top of this street stands an 
engaging edifice belonging to a lady of the name of Wright, wherein Count Tallard resided 
during part of his captivity, after he was taken by the Duke of Marlborough at the battle of 
Blenheim, which was fought the 2d of August, 1704. It is said that the Count much improved 
the art of gardening here ; and that he taught the bakers how to make French rolls. The whole 
of Park-street consists of excellent buildings ; amongst the rest the lofty edifice built by Thomas 
Maltby, Esq. banker, which he sold to the late Mr. Nunn, lace-manufacturer, stands the most 
conspicuous. Park-row, too, is one continued range of excellent buildings; as likewise is the whole 
of Standard-hill. Near one half of the north side of St. James's-street, from the west end 
downwards, consists of magnificent houses ; so that to particularize one, would be doing injustice to 
the rest ; except it be that which was erected by the late Cornelius Launder, Esq. who was equally 
well known for his wealth, for being a miser and a most excellent landlord : he would chaffer half 
an hour about the price of a cucumber or a platter in the market, while he let his tenants live at 
extremely easy rents. — Bromley-house, so called from the late Sir George Bromley, whose father erected 
it, stands on Angel-row, and is considered the best built house in the town. Pierrepont-house in 
Stoney-street is a noble mansion ; and was erected by Francis Pierrepont, Esq, third son of the first 
Earl of Kingston. The houses occupied by publicans and shopkeepers form a medium between 
the other extremes ; but, in stating this, the houses around the Market-place must be considered as 
exceptions ; most of which would not lower the dignity of noblemen, as places of residence. 

THURLAND, OR CLARE HALL, 

Belongs to the Duke of Newcastle : it presents a prison-like appearance ; and stands opposite 
to the back gates which leads from the Black Moor's Head inn yard into Pelham-street ; it being 
partly occupied by the keeper of that inn, for the conveniency of large dining parties ; and partly 
as attorneys' chambers. Throsby tells us, that this hall was erected by Francis Pierrepont, third son 
of Robert Earl of Kingstou, who died in 1657. This error on the part of Throsby has arisen 
from his misunderstanding a note in the 6th page of Deering ; the house there said to have been 
built by that gentleman being the one in Stoney-street, mentioned above, and which bears his 
family name. Thoroton and the author of Magna Brittannia tell us, that this hall was the residence 
of Thomas Thurland, who served the office of mayor of Nottingham in 1449 and 1468, and who, 
very probably erected it about that time. John Hollis was created Baron Houghton, of Houghton 
in this county, in 1616, and in 4624, was created Earl of Clare, whose fourth son married Margaret, 
daughter and heiress of Henry, the Third Duke of Newcastle, and was created Marquis of Clare 
and Duke of Newcastle, by William and Mary, 1694. This hall and the rest of the Thurland 
estate came to this family by purchase ; and through its being made a place of residence by them 
it obtained the name of Clare-hall. In former times, assemblies were held in this hall every third 
Tuesday ; but this custom has been laid aside long ago. 



68 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



BUGGE HALL. 

It appears that a family of the name of Bugge, was either original inhabitants of this town/ or 
settled in it about the time of King John ; and that they rose to considerable eminence, as, from 
them, sprung the Buggs of West Leak, the Biggs of Stamford, and the Willoughbies of this 
neighbourhood, of which the Middleton family at Wollaton is a branch. Thoroton says, " Bugge 
wf Hall in Nottingham descended to Sir Richard de Bingham, Knight, of which name some continued 
" in this town till the reign of Edward the Third ;" which proves that this Hall had been erected 
long before that time. It afterwards fell into the possession of a family of the name of Bakewell, 
from whom it took the name of Bakewell Place. And, from what I can gather from Thoroton, 
and the formation of the building, this ancient mansion is now the Old Angel public-house, at the 
end of St. Mary's-gate, facing the county hall. 

THE THEATRE 

Stands on the west side of St. Mary's-gate, partly upon the site of an old one, and partly upon 
a piece of ground Avhich was sold by the late Alderman Fellows, about the year 1760, for the 
purpose of the present building being erected. It was built by Mr. Whitely, a wealthy master of 
an itinerant company of players. Mr. Whitely's daughter and heiress, was married to a French 
dancing and fencing master, who went by the name of Gosli ; but who, on obtaining an act of 
naturalization, assumed the name of Carighan, stating that to be his father's name, who belonged 
to the Irish brigade in the French service. It is now held on lease by Messrs'. Robertson and 
Manly, managers of a company of comedians, that visits this town three or four times a year, 
particularly at the races, and the October fair ; Mr. Robertson excelling as a comic, and Mr. 
Manly as a tragic actor.* 

THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS 

Stand in a back-ground on the north side of the Low-pavement. When the building was erected I 
have not been able correctly to ascertain ; but in 1807, it was so much deteriorated as to render a 
general repair necessary, particularly in the interior; when the neighbouring noblemen, 
gentlemen, and ladies subscribed £1545 10s. In consequence of this liberal subscription, this 
seat of gaiety and refined amusement was fitted up in a superb style ; and from that time it was 
ordered that concerts should not be held therein. f 



* A few years ago, Miss Woodfall, daughter of the celebrated parliamentary reporter of that name, added lustre to the company by her 
t'agic powers, to which her genius is peculiarly adapted. She married a third rate player of the name of M'Gibbon, and now figures away 
in the first characters in Drury-lane theatre. She acted as amanuensis to her father some time before his death; and afterwards wrote 
Rosa, ok Child of the Abbey, and another novel, for both of which she only got £10. She then took to the stage as a last resource, and 
success has crowned her efforts. 
i f It is worthy of remark that this temple, sacred to Comus, was agreed to be sold, about the year 1800, and a religious sect, who hare 
since erected a Chapel, in Mary gate, had actually agreed for it; but some of the disciples of the merry God took alarm, and caused the 
bargain to be rescinded ; and thereby saved the temple from being polluted with preaching, exhortations, and prayers. 



WORKHOUSES. 69 



TVORKHO USES. 

That belonging to St. Mary's parish stands between York-street and the Mansfield-road., the 
ground for the erection of which was granted on a lease to the parish the 27th of June, 1729, for the 
term of 999 years, on an annual rent of one shilling Time, however, had nearly reduced the old shell 
to ruins, and the parish had increased so much in its population, that, in 1808, an alteration was 
found indispensably necessary ; and the old site being too small for the purpose required, several 
vestry meetings were held on the subject; and the 15th of February in the same year, the following 
report was made, " February 10, 1808. The Corporation committee, consisting of E. Swann 
" Esq. Deputy Mayor, Mr. Alderman Ashwell, Mr. Alderman Howitt, and Mr. Thomas Pepper, 
" met the committee from the parish of St. Mary (deputed to treat for land whereon to erect a new 
<c workhouse, and to give up the present premises,) consisting of Mr. John Pepper, Mr. Micah 
" Gedling, Mr. Nathaniel Barnsdall, Mr. William Aldrid, Mr. John Walker, Mr.. Robert Booth, 
' f Mr. John Tutin, and Mr. William Warsop : and they agree reciprocally upon the terms (that 
" is to say,) the parish of St. Mary to have upon Dog-kennel-hill four times the quantity of the 
" site of the square of the old Workhouse, and of the detached buildings, yards, and garden, now 
" occupied by the parish, which will amount to about 6240 yards ; that part of the building called 
" the old buildings, to be taken by the Corporation, at a valuation, as old materials ; that part 
u called the new buildings, to be taken by the Corporation, at a valuation as substantial buildings ; 
" the parish immediately to surrender to the Corporation their present legal estate in the present 
" workhouse, and adjoining buildings and premises, but to be allowed to retain possession thereof 
" as tenants at will, at the annual rent of £2 10s. for five years, unless the new workhouse be 
" sooner completed ; they covenanting to keep the buildings in the mean time in repair." 

EDWARD SWANN, Depute Mayor. 

JOHN PEPPER, Chairman. 

" Resolved — That this meeting approve of the proceedings of the said committee ; that this 
" meeting be adjourned to Tuesday the 1st of March next, to receive from the committee a report 
" of the final conclusion of the treaty with the Corporation." 

JOHN BRISTOW, Chairman. 

That the parishioners of St. Mary might not be an exception to the rest of mankind in their 
propensity to change, when they met in vestry, according to adjournment, they voted thanks to the 
committee, for their industry, and the Corporation for their liberality ; and then, by a third 
resolution, undid what the industry of the one party had procured, and the liberality of the other 
had bestowed. They, at the same time voted that a new workhouse should be built upon the site 
of the old one, or that additions should be made to the latter by purchase. 

A saving of expenses was the motive assigned for not complying with the agreement, but, in the 
purchasing, repairing, altering, and erecting of buildings, at least £5000 has been expended, which 
proved hojy injudicious it wa6 to reject the agreement made with the Corporation. And, 

S 



70 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



notwithstanding the late Mr. Silverwood, architect and builder, did every thing in his power to make 
it a comfortable receptacle for the unfortunate, the whole, like a stage-coachman's top coat, is. 
patched within and without to ward off the pitiless storm. 

The same year that St. Mary's parish obtained a lease of the Corporation, St. Nicholas's did the 
same, and on similar terms : the ground on which the latter parish built a workhouse, lies on 
Gillyflower-hill. But, in 1813, the old workhouse was declared to be unfit for a habitation, and 
the site being considered too small for the erection * of a new one, proportionate to the population of 
the parish, an extensive building at the bottom of Park-row, was purchased by the overseers, and 
was occupied by the poor the following- spring. 

St. Peter's workhouse formerly stood at the east end of Hounds'-gate, the parishioners having 
converted their share of the white-rents to that purpose ; but, when the latter buildings were taken 
down, a new workhouse was erected on the south side of Broad-marsh, the site of which occupies 
a part of Margery Doubleday's bellclose, a lease of which was obtained from Lord Carrington, 
who is lessee to the Corporation. 

STREETS, LAJVES, $c. 

The names of several streets, like many surnames of men, have sprung from particular trades, 
such as Bridlesmith-gate, Girdle, or Gridlesmith-gate, Wheeler, or Wheelwrights' -gate, and 
Smithy 7 row. Others from a distinctiveness of situation, such as High-street, High, Middle, and 
Low-pavements, (probably they were the first paved streets in the town,) Broad-lane, Long-row, 
Narrow-marsh, Broad-marsh, and Middle-marsh. Some took their names from places of worship^ 
such as St. James's-street, St. Peter's-gate, Church-lane, Friar-lane, and Chapel- bar. Others 
again from being contiguous to particular places ; such as Castle-gate, Park-street, Meadow-street, 
&c. Fletcher-gate, probably from Fletcher, a maker of arrows, a business of considerable 
consequence before the use of guns, and Pilcher-gate from pilch-makers living there ; pilch 
being an upper garment lined with fur. Some took their names from persons of note, such as 
Pelham-street, (formerly Gridlesmith-gate,) Clinton-street, Newcastle-street, Clare-street, &c. — 
Others from the pleasantness of their situations, from being on a particular rising ground, or from 
facing this or that way ; such as Mount-pleasant, Mount-street, (formerly Bearward-lane,) 
Mounteast-street, East-street, West-street, and South-street ; and others from cattle and other 
things passing frequently to and fro ; such as Cow-lane,* Sheep-lane, Millstone-lane, and 
Goose-gate ; and others again from particular persons having resided in them, or animals being 
kept there ; such as Jew-lane, f Hounds'-gate, and Spaniel-row. Parliament-street took its name 



* The name of Cow-lane was changed for that of Clumber-street in 181 1, by order of the Corporation, in honor of the Duke of Newcastle 
for his having ordered 1 6 feet of ground on the east side of the street to widen it in the same year — The name of Boot-lane was changed to 
that of Milton-street about the same time, in consequence of the Milton's Head inn, being in the street. 

f On this subject Deering has the following words : — " B.y an exemplification of the king's ancient possessions in Nottingham, out of the 
" pipe-office, it appears that there were several houses of Jews, as also a synagogue in Nottingham, until in the 20th of Edward the First 
" the king granted the same to Hugh Putrell, of Thurmenton, and to his heirs for ever, paying annually to his Majesty en Michaelmas-day 
" by the hands of the bailiff of Nottingham, one penny." 



PRINCIPAL STREETS. 



71 



from the fallowing circumstance : ; — a crazy headed fellow of the name of Rouse, whom many still 
remember, and who had a little property, took it into his head to become a candidate for 
representing- the town in parliament ; and, residing* in this street, he took umbrage at its bearing 
so pitiful a name as The Backside ; he accordingly got boards painted and stuck up at proper 
places which informed the passengers that this was Parliament-street. — Wright-alley took its 
name from a person of the name of Wright Hawley residing in it, who died a few years ago, and 
who was a celebrated electioneerer in the tory interest. Tollhouse-hill took its name from a house 
standing upon it at which some tolls belonging to the Corporation were collected. And St, 
Ann's-street from its leading the way to St. Ann's-well. 



NAMES OF THE PRINCIPAL STREETS, $c. 



ANGEL-ROW 

ANN's (ST.) STREET 

BACK-LANE 

BARKER-GATE 

BEASTMARKET-HILL 

BECK-BARN 

BECK-LANE 

BELLAR-GATE 

BOTTLE-LANE 

BREWHOUSE-YARD 

BRIDGE-STREET 

BRIDLESMITH-GATE 

BROAD-LANE 

BROAD-MARSH 

BROOK-STREET 

BUTCHER-STREET 

BYARD-LANE 

CANAL-STREET 

CARLTON-STREET 

CARTER-GATE 

CASTLE-GATE 

CHANDLERS'-LANE 

CHAPEL- BAR 

CHARLOTTE-STREET 

CHEAPSIDE 

CHESTERFIELD-STREET 

CHURCH-LANE 

CLARE-STREET 

CLINTON-STREET 

CLUMBER-STREET 

COALPIT- LANE 

COUNT-STREET 

CROSS- LANE 



CROSS-STREET 

CUR-LANE 

DERBY-ROAD 

DRURY-HILL 

EXCHANGE 

FINK HILL-STREET 

FISHER.GATE 

FLETCHER-GATE 

FOX-LANE 

FRIAR-LANE 

FYNE-STREET 

GARNER's-HILL 

GEORGE-STREET 

GILLIFLOWER-HILL 

GLASSHOUSE-LANE 

GOOSE-GATE 

GRANBY-STREET 

GREYFRIAR's-GATE 

IIIGHCROSS-STREET 

HIGH-PAVEMENT - 

HIGH-STREET 

HOCKLEY 

HOLLOW-STONE 

HOUNDS'-GATE 

HOWARD-STREET 

INDEPENDENT-HILL 

JAMES's (ST.) CHURCH-SIDE 

JAMES's (ST.) STREET 

JEW-LANE 

JOHN'S (ST.) STREET 

LEEN-SIDE 

LISTER-GATE 

LONG-ROW 



LINCOLN-STREET 

LOW-PAVEMENT 

MAIDEN-LANE 

MALIN-HILL 

MANSFIELD-ROAD 

MARKET-STREET 

MARY's (ST.) CHURCH-SIDE. 

MARY'S (ST.) GATE 

MIDDLE-HILL 

MIDDLE-MARSH 

MIDDLE-PAVEMENT 

MILK-STREET 

MILLSTONE-LANE 

MILTON-STREET 

MOUNTEAST-STREET 

MOUNT-STREET 

NARROW-MARSH 

NEWCASTLE-STREET 

NILE-STREET 

NORTH-STREET 

OLD-STREET 

OUTSIDE- BAR 

PARK-ROW 

PARK-STREET 

PARLI AM ENT-STREET 

PECK-LANE 

PELHAM-STREET 

PENNYFOOT-LANE 

PEPPER-STREET 

PETER's (ST.) CHURCH-SIDE 

PETER's (ST.) CHURCH- YARD 

PETER's (ST.) GATE 

PETER's (ST.) SQUARE 



72 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



PILCHER-GATE 

PLAT-STREET 

POPLAR-PLACE 

POULTRY" 

QUEEN-STREET 

RED-LION-SQUARE 

RICHMOND-HILL 

ROOKERY 

ROSEMARY-LANE 

RUTLAND-STREET 



STANDARD-STREET 



SHAW'S-LANE 

SHEEP-LANE 

SHORT-HILL 

SHORT-STAIRS 

SMITHY-ROW 

SNENTON-STREET 

SPANIEL-ROW 

STONEY-STREET 

TIMBER-HILL 

TOLLHOUSE-HILL 



TURNCALF-ALLEY 

WALNUT-TREE-LANE 

WARSER-GATE 

WATER.LANE 

WEEKDAY-CROSS 

WHEELER-GATE 

WOOLPACK-LANE 

WOOD-STREET 

YORK.STREET 



UPON STANDARD-HILL. 

KING-STREET x CHARLES-STREET 



4 HILL.STREET. 



COURTS, YARDS, ALLEYS, $c.AJSTD WHERE SITUATED. 



Names 
Andrew-court 
Angel-alley - - 
Ant-hill - - - 
Apple-row - - 
Arrow-yard - - 
Augean-place - 
Bail-row - - 
Ball-lane - - 
Ball-yard - - 
Balloon-court . 
Barker's-yard - 
Barley-court 
Baron-row - 
Bat-lane - - 
Bath-court - - 
Bear-court - - 
Bear-yard - - 
Beck-square 
Bellfoundcrs'-yd. 
Bilbie's-yard 
Bishop-row 
Black-yard - - 
Black-boy-yard 
Blucher-row 
Bond-street 
Boot-court . . 
Bottle-alley - - 
Bran-court - - 
Brewer-street - 
Bright-alley 
BrittaDnia-yard 



Where situated. 

York-street 

Woolpack-lane 

Meynel-row 

Milk-street 

Fisher-gate 

Maiden-lane 

York-street 

Coalpit-lane 

Broad-marsh 

Mount- east-street 

St. Ann 's-street 

York-street 

Water-lane 

York-street 

Fisher-gate 

Mansjield-road 

Long-row 

Coalpit-lane 

Long-row 

Munsfield-road 

Turncalj '-alley 

Narrow-marsh 

Long-row 

Poplar-place 

Mansfield-road 

Mansfield-road 

Bottle-lane 

Mansfield-road 

Butcher-street 

Carter-gate 

Mount-street 



Names 
Brook. alley 
Budge-row - - 
Bull-court - ~ 
Bull-yard . - 
Burdett's-court 
Butchers'-court 
Butler's-court - 
Bunker's-hill 
Cabbage-court 
Cannon-yard 
Capon. court 
Carter-row - . 
Castle-alley - - 
Castle-court 
Castle-place 
Chambers's-yard 
Chancery-court 
Chapel's-court 
Charles-street - 
Cheetham's-yard 
Cherry-street - 
Clare-court 
Clark's-yard 
Clark's-square - 
Click-lane . - 
Close-alley - - 
Coal-court - - 
Cock-court - - 
Cow-court - - 
Cow-yard - - 
Cowslip. court . 



Where situated. 
Coalpit-lane 
Mount-street 
Narrow-marsh 
Long-row 
Snenlon-street 
Beck-barn 
Narrow-marsh 
Parliament-street 
Charlotte-street 
Long-row 
Charlotte-street 
Carter-gate 
Finkh ill- street 
Millstone-lane 
Park-street 
Old-street 
Broad-marsh 
Byard-lane 
Plat-street . 
Wood-street 
Coalpit-lane 
Clare-street 
Milton, street 
Cross-street 
Outside-bar 
Fisher -gate 
Parliament-street 
St. Ann' 's-street 
Carter-gate 
Carter-gate 
Hockley 



Names. 



{ Commerce-row 

\ Cork-alley . . 

J Cooper's-court 

\ Crank-court 

\ Crirket-oourt - 

| Crosland-court 

^ Crosland-street 

\ Cross-court 

\ Crow-court 

| Crown-court 

| Crown-yard 

\ Cullen's-court . 

| Currant.strect - 

\ Curtis's-yard 

\ Cyprus-street - 

| Dale's-yard - 

| Darker's- court 

\ Darker's-lane . 

\ Dodson's-yard - 

\ Dot-yard - . 

\ Dore-yard - . 

\ Drake-street 

^ Duke-yard . . 

\ Duke's-placc 

\ Dutch-alley - - 

\ Earl.street - 

5 East- street - - 

\ East-street • - 

\ Ely-court - . 

\ Exchange-court 

\ Exchangc.alley 



Where situated. 
Beck-barn 
Parliamen t- street 
Glasshouse-lane 
Milk-street 
Barker-gate 
Narro w -marsh 
Narrow-marsh 
Cross-street 
Park-street 
Millstone-lane 
Long-row 
Parliament-street 
Turncalf -alley 
Parliament-street 
Beck-barn 
Weekday-cross 
Broad-marsh 
Broad-marsh 
Narrow-marsh 
Greyfriar' 's-gale 
Parliament-street 
Plat -street 
Long-row 
Barker-gate 
Narrow-marsh 
Water-lane 
Uigh-cross-street 
Plat-street 
Chesterfield-street, 
Mount-street 
Exchange 



COURTS, YARDS, ALLEYS, &C. 



73 



Names. 
Felix-place 
Fen.yard 
Fish. court - 
Flint-court - 
Fountain-place 
Frame-court 
Frame-yard 



Where situated. 

- Barker-gate 

- Barker-gate 

- Fisher-gate 

- Gamer's-hilt 
Woolpack-lane 

- Parliament-street 

- Parliament-street 



Freeman's-court Glasshouse-lane 
Frog-alley - - Milk-street 
Goal-court - St. Ann's-street 
George-yard - Long-row 
Garden-court - Mansjield-road 
Gartsr-court - Old-street 
Gibralter-straits Bellar-gate 
Glass-court - York-street 
Glue-court - - Narrow-marsh 
Goodall's-yard Long-row 
Grape-yard - St. Ann's-street 
Green's-court - Plat-street 
Green-yard - - Angel-row 
Greyhound-street Long-row 
Groom-court - Peter' s-ch.-side 
Halifax-street Pilcher-gate 
Have-yard - - Mount-street 
Harvey's-row - Derby-road 
Hawkcsworth-yd. Parliament-street 
Hill's-court - - Millstone-lane 
Hind's-yard - Angel-row 
Hoop-alley - - Carter-gate 
Iron-tard - Narrozo-marsh 
Ice-court - - St. Peter' s-gate 
James's-place - Granby-strcet 
Jason-row - - Pennyfoot-lane 
John's (St.) Row St. John's-street 
John's-court - Glasshouse-lane 

- Man sjield.ro ad 

- Plat-street 

- Woolpack-lane 
. Sloney-street 

- Woolpack-lane 

- Woolpack-lane 
Parliament-street 



Kennel-hill 
Kid-street - 
King's-court 
King's-place 
King's-square 
King's-street 
Kingston-court 
Knob-alley - 
Knotted-allcy 
Lag-yard - 
Lamb-lane - 
Lammas-place 



Narrow-marsh 

Narrow-marsh 

Angel-row 

Charlotte-sfreet 

Back-lane 



Names. 
Latimer-alley 
Leather-alley 
Lemon-court 
Leen court - 
Leen-row 
Lincoln-court 
Line-alley - 
Lion-court - 
Lock-court - 
Lodge-yard 
Long-stairs . 



Mail-court 
Maltmill-lane 
Malt-court - 
Mark-lane - 



Where situated. 

- Lamb-lane 

- Narrozo-marsh 

- Hockley 

- Narrow-marsh 

- Leen-side 
. Millstone -lane 

- Fisher-gate 

- Castle. gate 

- Narrow-marsh 

- Parliament-street 

- Malin-hill 
Low-cross-street High-cross-street 
Lowe's-yard - Leen-side 

- Mansjield-road 

- Narrow-marsh 

- Charlotte-street 

- Derby-road 
Marsden's-court Turncalf-alley 
Mary's (St.) place Mary-gate 
Matthew's-court Parliament-street 
Maypole-yard Long-row 
Meadow-street Turncalf-alley 
Meal-court - St. Jamcs's-street 
Meal -yard - - St. James's-street 
Meynell-row - Plat-street 
Meynell-court - Plat-street 
Michael 's-row Mansfield-road 

- Exchange 

- Hockley 

- Back-lane 

- Milk-street 

- Count-street 

- Count-street 

- Milton-street 

- Milton. street 

- St. Ann's-street 

- Barker-gate 

- Mount-street 
Mount-east-court Mount-east-street 
Mount-pleasant Mount-street 
Nameless-alley Par//a?wentf-s£ree£ 
Navigation-row Leen-side 
Needle-row - Milk-street 
Newcastle-court Newcastle-street 
New-street - - Parliament-street 
New-street - - Fisher-gate 
Newark-lane - Count-street 

T 



Middle-row 

Mill-alley - 

Mill-street - 

Milk-square 

Mirror-alley 

Mirror-court 

Mitre-court 

Mole-court - 

Monk-court 

Moor's-yard 

Mount-court 



Names. 
North-row - - 
Octagon- yard 
Octagon-place - 
Old-pottcry 
Oliye-row - - 
Owen's-court - 
Orange-boven-ct 
Pack-court 
Pack-yard - - 
Palace-yard - - 
Pannier.row 
Paradise-row 
Park-square 
Parliament-row 
Parrot.court 
Paul-yard - - 
| Peach-street 
| Pear-street . - 
| Pelham-court - 
| Pelt-alley - - 
\ Pennel's-yard - 
5 Pepper-alley 
s Perch-court 
| Pheasant-square 
5 Pin-alley - - 
\ Pipe-street - - 



Platofl-row - 
Plat-court - 
Pleasant-row 
Plum-street - 
Plumtre-place 
Plumtre-strect 
Point-court 
i Pole-court - 
? Pomfret-strect 
5 Portland-place 
\ Postern-place 
\ Poynton-street 



Prior-court 



5 Prince's-square 

5 Province-court 

I Pump-street 

\ Prime-court 



Rabbit-court 
Ram-yard - 
Ratcliffe-row 
Raven-court 



Where situated. 
Beck -bam 
Lamb-lane 
Charlotte-street 
Beck-barn 
Mount-street 
Count-street 
Glasshouse-lane 
Woolpack-lane 
Woolpack-lane 
Parliament-street 
Mount-east-street 
Coalpit-lane 
Rutland-street 
Parliament-street 
Middle-mar sh 
St. Peter's-gate 
Turncalf-alley 
Tamcalf-alley 
Pelham-strcet 
Narrow-marsh 
Long-rozo 
Narrow-marsh 
Fisher-gate 
Lamb-lane 
Fisher-gate 
Snen ton-street 
Wood-street 
Wood-street 
Wood-street 
Turncalf-alley 
Stoney-street 
Stoncy-street 
Park-street 
Pelham-street 
Carter-gale 
Coalpit-lane 
Middle-pavement 
Back-lane 
Spaniel-row 
Millstone-lane 
Millstone-lane 

■ Plat-street 

■ Millstone -lane 
Parliament-street 

. Long-row 

■ Coalpit-lane 
. Milk -street 



74 



HISTOJtY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Names. Where situated. 

P^cd-strcet - - Plal-street 
Itcnshavv's-yard Mary-gate 
Ricc-placc - - Barker-gate 
Uice-row - - Barker-gate 
Richmond-street Richmond-hill 
Rigley's-yard -Long-row 
Robin-IIood-pla. Coalpit-lane 
Rook's-yard - Barker-gate 
Rose-row - - Woolpack-lane 
Rose-yard - - Bridlesmilh-gate 
Rose-place - - Fletcher-gate 
Rumford-row - Beck-barn 
Rutland-place - Granby-street 
Salmon-court Charlotte-street 
Shakes pear-alley Milton-street 
Shakespcar-row Charlotte-street 



Shcrwin's-court 
Sherwood-lane 
Ship-yard - - 
Shoe-court - ■ 
Shore-yard - ■ 
Silkmill-yard 



Coalpit-lane 

Charlotte-street 

Pelham-street 

Milton-street 

Greyfriar r s-gate 

Long-row 



Simpson's-court Milton-street 
Sinker-alley - Mansfield-road 
Silverwood's-yard Bellar-gate 



Names. 
Skinner-strcct - 
Slop-court - - 
Snail-alley - 
Snow-bill - - 
South, street 
Sprat-couvt - - 
Stag-court - - 
Stamp-court 
Stanhope-strcct 
Star-court - - 
Stone-court 
Stone's-yard 
Stretton's-yard 
Summer's-yard 
Sun-hill - - 
Swan-court 
Swift-yard - - 
Talbot-yard . 
Tanner's-hall-crt 
Taylor's-yard - 
Ten-bells-yard 
Thread-yard 
Toll-street - - 
Trent-row - - 
Trim-court - - 



Where situated. 
Butcher-street 
Milk-street 
Barker-gate 
Richmond-hill 
Coalpit-lane 
Fisher-gate 
Charlotte-street 
Angel-row 
Carter-gate 
St. James's-street 
Parliament-street 
Bottle-lane 
Parliament-street 
Long-rozo 
Richmond-hill 
Carter-gate 
Long-row 
Long-row 
Narrow-marsh 
Long-row 
Narrozo-marsh 
Mount-street 
Back-lane 
Canal-street 
Charlotte-street 



Names. Where situated. 

Trumpet-street Beck-barn 
TulF-court - - Middle-marsh 
Twig-alley - - Woolpack-lane 
Tyler-street - Plat-street 
Union-street Plat-street 
Vat-yard - - Narrozo-marsh 
Vesey's-yard - Narrow-marsh 
Vine-street - - Glasshouse-lane 
Warren-court York-street 
Web-court - - Back-lane 
Wellington-court Mount -east -street 
Wellington-street Water-lane 
West-street - - Jligh-cross-street 
Wharf-street - Butcher-street 
Whcat-sheaf-yard Long-row 
White-street - Carter-gate 
Wheel-yard - Carter-gate 
Willoughby-row Fisher-gale 
Wing-alley - - Woolpack-lane 
Wood-court - Mansfield-road 
Wool-alley - - Woolpack-lane 
Wright-alley - Narrow-marsh 
Wright's-yard Wood-street 
York-court i Millstone-lane* . 



There is an old saying here, that Nottingham once stood on Mapperley -hills, which is 
exemplified by the greater part of the bricks of which the town is built being- made at that place. 
Excellent lime is brought from Bulwell and Papplewick, which villages are but a few miles off. 
Plaster is found in abundance at Cropwell, Thrumpton, and Newark-upon-Trent. Till 
within about a century ago the pavement consisted of such pebble-stones as were found in the 
bed of the Trent. These gave way to a large sort of pebbles, here called boulders, which were 
brought from Key worth and other places ; and these in their turn haVe yielded to a coarse and 
durable kind of granite, got in the mountains of Leicestershire. Derbyshire limestone has been 
tried within the last twenty years ; but it is found too susceptible of moisture, and consequently 
wears away in a short time. 



* In Spede's ground plan of the town, the only streets we find are the following:— Carter-gate, which began at the top of Parliament-street, 
and passed by the house of correction down Coalpit-lane, and thence to the top of Fisher-gate ; Cow-lane, Gridlesmith-gate, Beirward-Iane, 
St James-lane, White-Friar's-lane, Hun-gate, Wheelwright-lane, Castle-lane, Broad-marsh, Narrow-marsh, Vault-lane, now Drury-hill, 
Low-pavement, Middle-pavement, High-pavement, Pepper-street, Bridlesmith-gate, Woller-lane, now Byard-lane, Lymby-lane, now 
Bottle-lane, Chaler's-lane, now Chandlers' 1 -lane, Swine-green, now Carlton- street, Gosse (Goose) Gate, Worser-lane, now Warser-gate, 
Newark-lane, now Weolyack-lane, Barker (Gate) lane, St. Marie-gate, Pilcher-gate, Halifax-lane, Stoney-street, Bellar-gate, Fisher-gate, 
Malin-hill, and Flesher-gate, probably so ealled from ignorance of the real name, Fletcher- yate, or want of attention to ths spelling. 



LAMPS. POPULATION. 



LAMPS. 

In the year 1762 an act of parliament was obtained for lighting the town. The market-place 
and all the then, principal streets,, were therefore supplied with lamps, though not with a sufficient 
number ; and. for want of reflectors, the deficiency is still more lamentably perceived ; while many 
of the newly erected streets, alleys, &c, have no light at all in the night, except when favored by 
the moon's silver beams. ■ This act may now be considered a nonentity, as it allows only two 
hundred and fifty lamps, and but a levy of sixpence in the pound for all the expenses attending 
them ; the commissioners and magistrates therefore act independently of it, both as respects 
number and expense ; and pity it is that they do not farther extend their useful authority. 

POPULATION. 

Various schemes have been pursued to arrive at some fixed datum, whereby the population of 
towns and cities, and of the world at large might be ascertained with precision. Some writers 
have endeavoured to obtain it by calculating from the number of burials found in parish registers ; 
a plan extremely fallacious, as respects towns and cities, on account of the numbers that are interred 
in dissenting burying grounds; and not less so, as far as respects the population of the world, in 
consequence of the myriads that find a grave in the ocean, and in the field of battle. The surest 
way is to fix the population upon some admitted datum ; and then calculate upon Dr. Price's, or 
Mr. Gregory King's plan ; from which the number of annual deaths will be come at, barring 
unusual mortality. But, for the satisfaction of the reader, we will give the number of baptisms 
and burials for the following years : — 

17 

Baptisms. 

St. Mary's 817 
St. Peter's 71 
St. Nicholas's 89 

In the reign of Edward the Confessor, about the year 1040, Nottingham contained 192 
men, for so we find it recorded in Doomsday-book, which number would give about 800 
inhabitants. The town Avas twice surveyed by William the Conqueror, the first time it 
contained 136 men ; and the last time, which would be about the year 1083, for the purpose of 
completing Doomsday-book, which was finished in 1085, there were only 120 men, though there 
were 217 houses. This falling off in population from the time of Edward the Confessor, 
probably was occasioned by the tyranny of William, as the declension in the number of its brave 
inhabitants, from the year 866, when the Danes besieged it, had been occasioned by the ravages of 
those savage invaders, and by the patriotic resistance made to their domination. We next come to 
Ike year 1377, when the poll tax was laid on ; and the collecting of which caused the rebellion 
of Wat Tyler. According to a subsidy roll relative to this tax, presented to the Antiquarian 
Society by Mr. Topham. in 1784, there were 1447 lay persons in Nottingham, of fourteen years 



98 


1802 1806 U 


310 1S14 


Burials 


Baptisms. Burials. Baptisms. Burials. Baptisms Burials Baptisms. Burials. 


580 


\ 949 


619 $ 1010 


548 \ 983 


717 j 1000 


679 


97 


! 89 


84 | 68 


98 \ 99 


104 ! 71 


95 


118 


j 109 


121 \ 101 

> 


102 ! 122 


142 j 122 


126 



G 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



i)i" age and upwards, of whom fourpence a head was collected in support of this odious tax*. — 
And as one third of the people were supposed to consist of clergy, mendicants, and children under 
fourteen, this will give Nottingham a population at that time of 2170. 

From this time till towards the latter end of the sixteenth century we find no data whereon to 
calculate the population of Nottingham. In 1567, St. Mary's; in 1572, St. Peter's; and in 
1562, St. Nicholas's parish commenced recording burials : in the first five years after such dates, 
St. Mary's annually averaged 50 ; St. Peter's 14 ; and St. Nicholas's 12 deaths ; to which we 
may add 24, taking the parishes together, for those whose remains would be taken to other places, 
for the sake of mixing with the ashes of departed kindred ; and for the omissions which would 
very probably, occur in the registers on their first being instituted ; which numbers united will 
give 100 deaths annually for the five years alluded to; and this, by calculating on Dr. Price's plan, 
which lias received the sanction of experimental proof, we shall find the number of inhabitants 
in Nottingham, at that time, amount to 3100, giving an increase of 930 in about 200 years. The 
paucity of increase in this length of time may be accounted for from the war carried on between 
the houses of York and Lancaster for the crown, the most senseless of all the wars carried on by 
the English ; which began soon after the accession of Henry the Fourth, in 1399, and ended with 
the battle of Market- Bos worth, on the 22d of August, 1485, at which time Richard the Third lost 
his crown and his life. In this mortal conflict between the white and red roses (the former of 
which became dyed with blood, and the latter received a deeper tinge by its frequent immersions 
in the same fluid) there were fourteen battles fought, independent of numerous skirmishes, and 
many of them equal, in point of slaughter, to those of modern times ; and in which, it is very 
probable, many Nottingham men fell a sacrifice ; particularly in the last of the awful number, 
for Richard, who was much attached to this town, marched from it to the fatal field of Bosworth, 
and here too his army had principally been collectedf . Hence we have a right to conclude that 



* The following are the cities and towns whose population exceeded "2000 lay persons, of fourteen years and upwards, when the above 
tax was collected : — 



Cities and Towns. 

London - - - 

York - - - - 

Bristol - - - - 

Plymouth - - - 

Coventry - - - 

Norwich - - - 

Lincoln - — - 

Sarum (Wilts) - 

Lynn - - - - 



Lay persons 

- - 23,314 

- - 7,248 

- - 6,345 

- - 4,837 

- - 4,817 

- - 3,952 

- - 3,412 

- - 3,226 

- - 3,127 



Souls. 
34,977 
10,872 
9,517 
7,255 
7,255 
5,928 
5,1 IS 
4,839 
4,690 



Cities and Towns. 
Colchester - - - - 
Beverley ----- 
Newcastle-upon-Tyne - 
Canterbury - - - - 
Bury (St. Edmund's) 



Lay persons. 

- - 2,955 

- - 2,663 

- - 2,647 

- - 2,574 

- - 2,442 



Oxford 2,357 

Gloucester -----.-- 2,239 

Leicester --------- 2,101 

Shrewsbury --- 2,082 



Soute. 
4,432 
3,994 
3,970 
3,S6I 
3,663 
3,535 
3,358 
3,151 
3,123 



f It appears from the following interesting circumstance that Henry had his partizans too, in this neighbourhood ; for Sir John Byron 
would not go to the battle single-handed, as his wealth placed so many dependants under his control Sir John Byron and Sir Gervas 
Cfifton were intimate friends, as well as neighbours; and though the former took the part of Henry, and the latter that of Richard, this 
nowise diminished their friendship ; and, previous to the battle of Bosworth, they reciprocally took the following oath : — "That, if either 
" of them were vanquished, the other should intercede with the conqueror, that the estate of the loser might not be forfeited, but enjoyed 
" by his family." While Clifton was bravely fighting in the troop, he received a blow which overpowered him, and he fell. Byron 
observing the fall, quitted the ranks, and ran to the relief of his suffering friend, sustained him on the ground, guarded him with his 
shield, and iutreated him to surrender. Clifton replied, "All is over; I beg my dear friend you will remember the oath between us;— 



«=-*! 



POPULATION. 

■' , ■■ ' - -' ■ ! - =g 



tr 



many Nottingham men fell in the conflict ; which would be a considerable drawback upon the 
population a long time afterwards. During- the space of eighty-five years we find tyrant contending 
against tyrant ; and the people were the murdered slaves and dupes of the whole. 

We next come to the account given by Deering, which appears to have been taken by some 
sloven of a calculator in the year 1739. Here we find the number of houses is pretended to be 
given ; while five streets, of which Narrow-marsh is one, are ranked in the list without a single 
house being set down. The number of inhabitants however, as it stands in the account is 9890; 
and the editor of Deering, whoever he might be, assures us, that the calculation was made by a 
person going from house to house. In Lowe's Agricultural Survey of Nottinghamshire, we 
find in the year 1779, the number of houses, families, and inhabitants in the town distinctly 
recorded as follows : — * 

Houses. Families. Inhabitants. 

- 3191 3556 17711 

In the year 1793, Sir Richard Sutton surveyed the town, and found the number of inhabitants 
to be 25000. In 1801, when a general census was taken of the kingdom, the number of houses> 
families, &c. in this town stood as under : — 

Inhabited Houses Houses not Inhabited. Families. Souls. 

4977 100 6707 28861 

And, in 1811, another census of the kingdom was taken, when the following statement was givem 

for Nottingham, which is a striking proof of the industry of the town, rising superior to every 

difficulty ; for that year and two or three preceding ones, had brought more of the calamities of 

war upon the inhabitants, in the loss of trade, than had been witnessed during the memory of man 



Si. Mary's parish 
St. Peter's . - 
St. Nicholas's . 
l5reA\hou.ie-yard 



Inhabited 
Houses. 

- 5228 

529 

- 730 

16 



Standard-hill and Castle-wharf 25 



Total 6528 



Uninhabited 
Houses t 
249 
] I 
24 



284 



Families. 

5585 

568 

718 

17 

27 

6945 



Males. 

12381 

1270 

1720 

41 

122 

15537 



Females. 

1 1990 

1569 

2103 

63 

101 

1 8826 



Total. 

27371 

2139 

382 3 

107 

223 

34363 



The population of Great Britain long remained a subject of controversy among writers on the 
internal policy and strength of the kingdom, as well with respect to the actual number of (lie 
inhabitants, as their increase or diminution; until the question, respecting the number, was finally 
set at rest by an act which received the royal assent on the 31st of December, 1800, and which 
directed a general enumeration of houses, families, and persons, to be given in on the 10th of 



"Victory is your's. Use all your interest, that my lands may not be taken from my children " The worthy Tiyron, upon the po : nt of 
ren wins his promise, perceived that his friend was departing, and exclaimed with emotion, " -My. my dear Clifton, stay !" hut, a'as ! the 
wound was mortal, and the unfortunate Clifton expired on the field. Perhaps Uyron performed the oath he took, and the promise he would 
have renewed; for Sir Oerv ts C ifton, the descendant of him who fell, now enjoys the same estate, which "as possessed bv his ancestors 
nviiir centime- prior to the battle of Bosworth. Hat tons History of the Bailie of Bosirorth Field 

* Mr I.nwe s^ys Deerinrt's calculation is 10720 ; but, in the copy of that author in my possession the number is as giTeu a!>ov«. 

■}■ The mimb-T of uninhabited houses was greater this year tlian at any ot er known p< riod of time. 

u 



78 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



35P 



March following- for England and Wales, and for Scotland as soon as the season should permit. 
This proviso was made in the act on account of the cold climate in Scotland rendering it impossible 
for persons engaged in the business to traverse the bleak mountains of that part of the United 
Kingdom so early in the year. In 1811, another census was taken, by order of parliament, to 
ascertain whether the population increased or diminished, and what the difference of such increase 
or diminution was ; the following table maybe entertaining to the reader, as in it both questions so 
long disputed w ill be found set at rest. 

The population of Great Britain, as taken in the years 1801 and 1811, stated and contrasted : — 



England 
Wales - 

Scotland 



Males. 
3,987,935 
257,178 
734,581 



Army and navy, and convicts 470,598 
Total - 5,450,292 



1801 

Females. 
4,343,499 
284,368 
164,487 

5,492,354 



Total. 



Males. 



8,331,434 * 4,575,763 

541,546 5 291,633 

1,599,068 \ 826,191 

470,598 \ 640,500 

I 



1811 

Females. 
4,963,064 
320,155 
979,497 

6,262,716 



Total. 

9,538,827 
611,788 

1,805,688 
640,500 

12,596,803 



Increase. 

1,207,393 

70,242 

206,620 

169,602 

1,654,157* 



10,942,646 \ 6,334,0S7 

A circumstance which had caused considerable disagreement in the estimates, that had been 
aiade on the numerical strength of the country, previous to the enumeration in 1801, was the want 
of a proper datum, whereby to determine the proportion of persons to a house. Dr. Davenant 
and Dr. Brakenridge reckoned six persons to a house ; while Mr. Gregory King allowed rather 
more than four and a half in London, and four and three-tenths in the cities and market towns, 
&m\four in the villages. The fast now appears to be, that in England and Wales the proportion 
is, fine and three-fifths persons to a house, and in Scotland five and two-fifths. Taking- 
twenty-five of the most populous cities and towns, of which Nottingham is the thirteenth, London 
has seven and one-fourth, Plymouth nine and three-fourths, Sheffield four and three-fourths, and 
Norwich, the lowest, (as Plymouth is the highest of the number,) four and a half. In 1801, the 
proportion to each house in Nottingham was, as near as the number can be divided, Jive and 
three-fourths to a house ; and in \S\\,Jive and one-third. 

In a level country, subject to become the bloody theatre of contending nations, where the hope 
of permanent possession is subordinate in the breasts of rival leaders, to that of plunder and 
devastation, villages are almost unknown ; as near the whole population is cooped up in walled 
towns and fortified cities; personal security being no where else to be found. — From the conquest 
of this country by William, to the reign of Henry the Seventh, the garrisoned towns and cities in 
England were just the reverse ; they being considered more as haunts of refuge for men of 
desperate fortunes, than as places of settled residence for the general population of the country : 
the feudal lords having an interest in keeping these places thinly inhabited, because, there a spirit 
of independence was fostered by an union of sentiment, which often became a thorn in the bosom 



* The population of tlie earth is generally admitted to amount to 800,000,000 ; and some writers contend, that one human being departs 
this life every moment, which would make the deaths annually amount to 31,536,940 ; but this display of mortality is better adapted to 
impress the mind with the awful lesson, that the scythe of death nearly keeps pace with the beating of a pendulum, than to assist the 
statistical calculator in his researches. 



POPULATION. — PROVISIONS. 79 



of their pride. These feudal lords, the better to ensure a continuance of their power over the 
lower orders of society, compelled their vassals to reside in scattered villages, to prevent the seed 
of independence being' sown in the hot-bed of the mind by a combination of sentiment and a 
community of interests. Though the tyrant is a stranger to those fine pulsations of the heart, 
which dispense sympathy to the sufferer, and justice to the injured, yet he is taught, as the first 
lesson of his creed, that mutual sufferings beget mutual friendship; and that these, when combined, 
are ever active in devising means to break down the barriers which separate man from those 
comforts that heaven designed as the reward of his virtues, his industry, and his courage. 

The crown of England being often contended for by rival claimants, the possessors of it strove 
to obtain command of the garrison cities and towns ; not so much for the sake of plunder, as to 
secure them to themselves, tbat they might overawe the respective districts where they were situate, 
and dragoon the neighbouring youth into their armies. These towns too often had to sustain the 
shock of besieging hosts, led on by enraged chiefs. Thus the means provided by nature and art 
for personal protection were often turned to its annoyance; and garrisoned towns were looked 
upon more as nurseries of evil, than as places of protection against insult and wrong. To these 
obstacles to a dense population may be added the very numerous and superlatively destructive 
foreign wars in which this country was engaged, in the space of time of which we are speaking, 
which drained the towns and villages indiscriminately of their youth, (except the vassals, that were 
not permitted to go, or not subject to be taken without the consent of their lords ;) so much so, that 
we find by an Act of the Ninth of Henry the Fifth, that there was not a sufficient number of 
respectable persons in the respective counties to act as sheriffs, coroners, and escheaters. Such were 
the obstacles with which trade had to contend, before it could give a population to its favorite 
haunts, commensurate to the ample promotion of its future glory. Nottingham having a fortress 
at that time, which was formed by nature and improved by art, caused it to feel the weight of the 
evils we have been speaking of, in the plenitude of their vengeance ; but the feudal system and 
the war between the Hoses ceased at no very distant period prior to the invention of the Stockino- 
Frame, which has given it a population far superior to many of those towns that were 
distinguished above it, when the odious Poll Tax was levied. 

PROVISIONS. 

Deering, when writing under this head, says, " Upon the whole, thus much may be said in 
general, that nothing is so cheap (in this town) as to render it contemptible ; nor any thing- 
requisite to a comfortable way of living so dear, but that the middling people, in the respective 
season, may have a share." About that time, that is about the year 1756, tea and sugar were 
becoming articles of general use; and our author seems highly disgusted that "seamed, sizers, 
winders, &c." should be partakers of them; and he particularly inveighs against these people 
making use of snuff, which he says, was in general use among them. This shews, that when 
speaking of " the middling people" he did not allude to the working class in general. Me 
distinguishes provisions into immediate netessaries, and less necessaries ; among the former he 



80 JIJftTOJtY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



classes bread, malt, shambles' meat, butter, cheese, eggs, salt-fish, beans, peas, and common 
vegetables. Among the latter, he ranks poultry of every kind, fresh fish of every kind, rabbits 
broccoli, cauliflowers, asparagus, spices, and other grocery goods. 

Few markets can surpass ours for shambles' meat; and, indeed, if any of a very inferior sort be 
exposed for sale, the Corporate servants, under the direction of two examining- butchers, seize and 
burn it. The iish-markct, generally speaking, is very indifferently supplied, principally owing to 
a combination of the fish-mongers, who, in a plentiful season, carry the fish to Derby, Birmingham, 
&c. for the purpose of keeping up the price ; and who, when compared with the London 
fish-mongers, are such slovens in their business, as to disgust a person, that generally resides in 
the metropolis, with the sight of their ware. The gardeners' market is tolerably well supplied the 
year round ; and the price of the aiiicles is pretty well kept down in the spring- and summer 
seasons, by the number of country people who bring- vegetables to sell from Newark, Castle 
Donington, &c. Butter and eggs always fetch high prices. 



CHAPTER IV. 

CHURCHES AND CHAPELS. 



We are now entering- among the hallowed and sepulchral monuments of the dead, where 
solemn silence sits enthroned in awful majesty, undisturbed in his empire of eternal nig-ht, save by 
the admission of new tenantry, or when a bone, once sportive in the giddy circles of life, drops 
from its socket. Here, at every step, we tread upon the ashes of the departed, once, like ourselves, 
endued with the passions and the breath of life ; and who now mingle in uninterrupted repose. 
Here the young-, the old, the beautiful, the decriped, the ostentatious, the rich, and the poor, unite 
their mouldering bones without a murmur or a sigh. Here the children of industry have laid down 
their implements, the tyrant his rod, the slaye has cast off his galling chains ; and the coquette has 
closed her captivating eyes. 

ST. MARTs CHURCH, 

Stands upon the most elevated spot in the town, it being twenty-three yards above the level of 
the meadows. The form of the building- is collegiate ; and its lofty square tower presents a most 
majestic appearance, impressing the mind of the beholder with the solemnity of the occasion for 
which temples of religion were erected. In the steeple are ten fine musical bells, whose vibrating 
and transpiercing melody diversly impresses the mind ; sometimes hailing the return of peace ; 
sometimes sounding the knell of departed thousands who have bled in the field of victory ; and at 
other times informing us, by a solemn and heavy peal, that the trials are at hand of those unfortunate 



ST. MARY'S CHURCH. 



mortals who are strongly suspected of having violated the laws of our country. The following 
are the dates of these bells : — The 1st and 2d were hung preparative to the rejoicings at the 
coronation of George the Third, in 1761 ; and the 3d and 4th were cast and hung the preceding 
year. The 5th is dated 1699; the 6th 1613 ; the 7th 1690; the 8th 1605 ; the 9th 1695; and 
the 10th in 1637. This bell, however, was broken in 1757, and was re-cast the same year by Mr. 
Hedderley of this town. 

The dimensions of this church are, in the inside, from east to west, 216 feet ; from south to 
north, at the west end, 67 feet ; in the centre 97 feet, and the chancel 29 feet. The height of the 
steeple is 126 feet ; and that of the aisles 60 feet. 

Thoroton speaks of our churches in the following words : — " The vicarage of St. Marie was 
" twenty marks, and so was the rectory of St. Peter ; and the rectory of St. Nicholas ten marks 
" when the Prior of Lenton was patron : St. Marie's is now £10 5s. value in the King's books, 
ie and the Marquis of Dorchester is patron. St. Peter's £8 8s. 6d. and the King patron, as he is 
" also of St. Nicholas', which is but £2 16s. 8d. value." Ecton in 1723 states, St. Mary's to be 
,£10 5s. in the King's books, and ,£1 0s. 6d. yearly tenths ; St. Peter's £8 7s. 6d. in the King's 
book, and £12 19s. yearly value ; and St. Nicholas' £2 16s. 8d. in the King's book, and 
£15 7s. 9d. yearly value ; the two latter being discharged from paying the yearly tenths on 
account of the smallness of their income ; and are therefore entitled to Queen Ann's bounty.* 

Deering was of opinion that St. Mary's church is of Saxon architecture ; and he rested that 
opinion on the following absurd story — A workman that was employe^ in rebuilding the west end, 
in 1726, told him, that he found a date cut in the end of a beam, ivfiich he did not pretend to 
remember ; but xaas sure that at that time, it proved the church tq be eleven hundred y ears old, 
A man who had found a date of eleven hundred years standing, arid that was able to decipher it, 
in the mutilated state it must be in on the end of a beam, must be possessed of some little erudition; 
and consequently would have noted down t\e figures. The singularity of the circumstance too, 
would have become a subject of conversation and inquiry among the curious of the day ; but 
nothing of this kind took place. 

The venerable Bede, the father of British history, and who was a bishop, speaks thus on the 
subject of churches. " There was a time when there was not a stone church in the whole land, 
" but the custom was to build them all of wood. Finan, the second bishop of Holy-island, or 
* Lindisfarn in Northumberland, built a church there, A. D. 152, for a cathedral, which was not 
" of stone, but of wood, and covered with reeds; and so it continued to Eadbert's time, the seventh 
:c bishop." The account of Deering's ivorkman makes the building of St. Mary's church to have 
taken place as early as the year 626; whereas we are informed by William of Malmsbury, that 



* In 1535, a valuation was taken of all church dignities, benefices, and all other ecclesiastical preferments throughout the kingdom, 
according to the best documents which could be procured ; and such valuation is called The King's Books In 1558, all vicarages, not 
exceeding ten pounds in yearly value; and all rectories, not exceeding ten marks, according to the above valuation, were exempted by act 
of parliament from paying the first fruits. And, in 1707, all livings were discharged from paying the yearly tenths, whose annual incomes 
were less than fifty pounds ; consequently St. Man 's benefice in this town was considered above that value at that time, as it is not in the 
discharged list. '1 he first year's income of a benefice was paid by the inenmhent to the king, and was called the first fruits, and one-tenth 
of such income, which is annually paid to the same quarter, is called yearly tenths. 



82 IIlSTOJtY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



about the year 974, King- Edgar issued large sums from his treasury, (probably at the instigation 
of Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, under whose influence the king was guided) for repairing 
places of public worship, which were then built of wood, and covered with shingles, and were so 
rotten as not to admit of public worship being performed in them. 

That a church stood on the site of the present one, at the time of the conquest, or that one was 
erected shortly after that event, is certain, since we find all the three churches named in the 
foundation deed of the priory of Lenton, in the reign of Henry the First ; and. that the present 
church was built before the reformation is also certain, as that kind of architecture, which is 
unmeaningly called Gothic, and of which style this church originally wholly consisted, went out of 
fashion as soon as monastic gloom was dissipated ; and it is equally certain that it was not built 
before the middle of the twelfth century, as this style of archictecture was not introduced into 
England before that time ; and, if Deering had studied the science ever so little, instead of attending- 
to the tales of superannuated old men, he would not have led so many of his readers astray respecting- 
the age of this church. The British Encyclopedia states, " It may be observed, that antecedent 
" to this period, neither tabernacles nor niches with canopies, statues in whole relief, pinnacles, 
" pediments., or spires, nor any tracery in the vaultings were used ; but at this time, or soon after 
cf these began to obtain." But, to set the question at rest, we will call in the aid of John Leland, 
antiquary to Henry the Eighth., who visited this town about the year 1540. He says, " there be 
t* three paroche chirches (St. Mary, St. Peter, St. Nicholas,) but the chirch of St. Mary is 
',' excellent, new, and uniforme yn work." From the foregoing observations, and the positive 
declaration of Leland, the conclusion is, that this church was built upon the site of an old one by 
Richard the Third, who was ever partial to this town ; or by Henry the Seventh, or, possibly it 
was began by the former and completed by the latter ; but, that it was finished after the union of 
the Roses is as clear as noon-day ; for, in the fluting of the pediment of the southern porch are 
two red roses and two white ones, in a good state of preservation ; in the centre of the pediment 
is a crosslet decorated with red and white roses ; and at the top of the arch over the porch hang- 
seven other roses, but in so mutilated a state, that the distinction of the red and white ones is scarcely 
perceptible. Were it possible to suppose, that any further proof was wanting to refute the tale 
of Deering's ivorkman, it might be found in this ; namely, public buildings of Saxon architecture 
consisted of very thick and heavy ivalls ; whereas, considering the magnitude of the edifice we 
are speaking of, the walls are thin and light. 

In 1726, the west end was rebuilt, when the uniformity and beauty of the whole were destroyed, 
by the Doric order being substituted for the Gothic style ; and instead of the lofty pinnacles, 
which used to adorn its crown, a Grecian urn was substituted. In 1707, a clock, made by one 
Rowe of Epperstone, was put up, the dial of which faced the south ; but, in 1807, the dial was 
taken down, and, the clock being found to be nearly worn out, a new one was made by Thomas 
Hardy, of this town, for which he received £126, and it was put up in February, 1810; and two 
dials were affixed to the tower, one facing the east and the other the west. 

The exterior of this noble and hallowed fabric displays the direful effects of the relentless tooth 
of time : it is frequently undergoing repairs ; and must continue to do so, otherwise, before many 






ST. MARY'S CHURCH. 83 



more ages have passed away, its lofty walls will come tumbling to the ground. Much blame is 
attachable to some of the foregone church wardens, for having repairs done with such perishable 
stone ; as the south side, west of the aisle, which was new faced in 1761, and several other parts, 
recently repaired, fully testify. The staircase to the belfry, which was rebuilt in 1811, is an 
exception to this rule of wasteful expenditure of the parish money. 

The church-yard is now walled round, and encircled, at the top of the walls, with cast-iron 
palisades, with a gate at each corner, which is open only during divine service, and when other 
business is doing. Perhaps money was never expended about the church with more propriety than 
what was applied to this purpose ; for, it is certainly most disgraceful to civilized society for those 
places which are set apart as repositories of human ashes to be converted into theatres of lewdness, 
gambols, and dissipation. The uncultivated Indian views with reverential awe the spot which 
contains the bones of his forefathers ; then let us blush at the idea of being outdone by him in 
veneration for the dead. 

The work of properly inclosing the churchyard was begun in 1792, and was completed in 
1807. In the former year it was found necessary to widen the street on the south side of the 
churchyard, for which purpose part of the latter was cut away, when a chantry-house, belonging 
to the Bridge Estate, and several little dwellings belonging to the vicarage were taken down ; 
they standing upon part of the ground which was necessary to be removed*. While this work 
was in progress a remarkable circumstance came to light, which, from its forming a curious trait in 
natural history, merits insertion. The churchyard being higher than the road, and the old wall 
being removed, a heavy shower of rain washed the earth from several coffins ; among which was 
one containing the remains of a Mr. William Moore, who once kept the Black Swan public-house 
on the north side of the High-pavement, and who had been buried twelve years. From the age of 
twenty-two an enlargement appeared on one side of his body, and it continued to grow to the day 
of his death, which happened at the age of seventy ; and he frequently told his friends, that he 
felt a hard substance concreting within him, which circumstance was injudiciously omitted to be 
inquired into when he died. On the exposure of his bones, in the rotten shell which had contained 
them, a substance, much resembling pumice stone, and as large as an ox's liver, was found, which 
was broken in pieces, and several parts of it were preserved by the curious. It is worthy of 
remark, that his ribs were much more bowed on the side in which this concretion grew, than they 
were on the other. 

There are two burying grounds, independent of the churchyard, one on the north and the other 
on the south side of Barker-gate. A plot of ground between Bellar-gate and Garter-gate was also 
bought for the same purpose, in 1814, at an expense of eight shillings a yard. 

In the interior of this church were the chantries of St. Mary, St. James, and one which took 
its name from one Amyas, Avho was mayor in 1334. There were likewise two chapels and a 
Guild, or Fraternity of six priests ; the former being dedicated to All-saints and the Virgin Mary, 
and the latter to the Holy Trinity ; and the house belonging to these priests, called Trinity House, 



* The vicar receives forty shillings a year from the parish as a remuneration ; but I do uot find any thing paid to the Corporation, 



84 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



according- to the best information I am in possession of, stood where now stands the coach-house of 
Charles Mcllor, Esq. at the east end of his mansion, which is facing- the south end of St. 
Mary's-gate. . The chapel of All Saints was on the north side of the church, and was the property 
of the ancient family of Plumptres, from the 23d of Henry the Seventh, about which time, it is 
very probable, it was built* : here many of that ancient family lie interred. In the east corner is 
a marble monument to the memory of Henry, son of John Plumptre, Esq., with the family arms 
engraven over it : he was born July 22d, 1708, and died January 3d, 1718. The inscription 
speaks highly of his learning and the powers of his mind. Near to the foregoing is an alabaster 
tomb, on which lies the figure of a man in a gown with wide sleeves, and his hands in a praying- 
posture, Without an idea being left of whom it is intended to represent. It is extremely defaced, as 
much from children being shamefully permitted to exercise their mischievous arts upon it, as from 
the mutilating hand of time, though it has the appearance of being very ancient. At the west end of 
this chapel is a marble monument to the memory of Henry Plumptre, Esq. and Joice, his wife, 
with a Latin inscription to each; the former died December the 29th, 1693, and the latter 
November the 8th, 1708. 

On the south side, and opposite the chapel of all All Saints, is that dedicated to the Virgin Mary, 
which, till the year 1804, contained the tombs of the first and second Earls of Clare : that of the 
first was dated 1637, and the other 1665: the inscriptions upon them are preserved on a 
handsome mural monument erected in their stead. In this chapel too lies a mutilated alabaster 
figure, without any inscription. 

On a pillar in the middle aisle is fixed a marble monument to the memory of William Flamstead, 
gent, who died in 1653; and according to the inscription, was town clerk and steward of 
Nottingham. In this aisle and in the body of the church are many gravestones, *wbich were once 
ornamented with brass plates ; but which, as Deering informs us, were torn off by some of the 
contentious combatants in the time of Charles the First. What a pitiful species of warfare was 
this ! 

In the Chancel a number of mural monuments present themselves to the observer's notice. On 
the south side is one to the memory of Lady iVlary Brabazou, who departed this life the 2d 
January, 1737, and lies here interred by the side of her father, the Right Honorable Chambre, 
Earl of Meath, who died the 1st of April, 1715. Near the above is one to the memory of the 
Rev. Dr. Haines, late vicar of this parish, who paid nature's great debt on the 27th of April, 1806, 
at the age of 71. Though his mind was not expanded by the principles of philosophy, or by deep 
research into the liberal notions of theology, yet his conduct was peaceable, tolerant, and friendly ; 
and many poor families had to regret his death ; for many were partly fed by his private bounty ; 
nor did he vex his parishioners by a scrupulous exaction of tithes. 



V * In the year 1T38, the wainscoting- of this chapel was taken down by one Stocks, a joiner, who converted a piece of it into the door of a 
corner cupboard, which was- overspread with a deeply engraven thistle in full bloom, the royal arms of Scotland, Probably this was put u|> 
in honor of James the First wh.-n he visited this town. The cupboard is still in being, and the thistle is unimpaired ; the author 
having examined it pre\ ious to the writing of this note 



ST. maky's church. 85 



On the north side of the chancel, and facing- the communion table, is a handsome monument, 
which bespeaks the good deeds of Samuel Hey wood, attomey-at-law, who died in 1789, aged 34. 
Those who still remember him, speak of him as forming 1 one of those rare exceptions of uprightness, 
which sometimes give lustre to the profession of the law. On the opposite side is one to the 
memory of Thomas Newdigate, Esq. third son of Sir Richard Newdigate, of Ardbury in the 
county of Warwick, serjeant-at-law, who departed this life the 24th of January 1722, aged 74. 
And near to it is one to the memory of Scroop Berdmore, D. D. vicar of this parish, who departed 
this life at the age of 60, in 1770; and likewise one to the memory of his brother, who acquired an 
ample fortune by the profession of a dentist; and who died in 1785, aged 45. 

The Altar-piece is a handsome piece of cabinet work; and was erected in 1727. In 1800, the 
King's Arms were painted in a pompous manner over the vestry door, principally at the instigation 
of a man, whose whole conduct in life has been a manifestation of his, neither fearing God, nor 
honoring the King ; but whose name shall not disgrace these pages. In this place Dcering fancied 
he discovered the representation of St. Christopher, of* a gigantic size : he might as well have 
supposed the almost obliterated figure to have been intended as a representation of Neptune, as 
he tells us that ships and water appeared about his feet. It seems, from what our author says 
to have been a wretched daubing, which ought to have excited his laughter, rather than his 
curiosity. In the north window of the chancel, the figure of St. Andrew, in stained glass, appears 
in all its original beauty ; and which is protected, on the outside, by a piece of wirework against 
the destructive hand of folly. 

In the west end, or ante-church, as it is usually called, are likewise many mural monuments. 
One, over the entrance from the southern porch, is sacred to the memory of John Morris, gent. 
who died in 1798. He acquired ajiberal fortune in the hosiery business ; principally, however, 
by obtaining a patent for the manufacturing of mits, and which will be particularly noticed under 
the head, Trade. On the same side is one to the memory of the Rev. Joseph Malbon, curate of 
this parish, who died at the age of 30, in 1777. Near to the last is one to the memory of 
Laurence Whitaker, who departed this life in 1769. On the north side, one remembers Samuel 
Wright, merchant of this town, who died in 1753, aged 56. And beneath it is one which informs 
us that Ichabod Wright, Esq. died in 1777, aged 74; and that Elizabeth, his wife, aged 82, died 
in 1782. Near to this place is one to the memory of Francis Hall, Gent, who died at the advanced 
age of 85, in 1801. Further to the west, is one sacred to the memory of Philip Strelly, and 
Elizabeth, his sister ; the former died in 1768 ; and the latter, who was the last branch of the 
family, in 1786. More westwards still, is one to the memory of Robert Wright, who departed this 
life in 1799, at the age of 74. He was an eminent hosier in this town, by which business he 
acquired a handsome fortune. Edmund Wright, Esq. his son and successor in business, is well 
known for his wealth ; but much more so for his benevolence to the poor. From his door the 
needy never go away empty ; nor does the tear of distress ever fall in his presence in vain. 

At the west end is a small mural monument to the memory of Bath Williams, Esq. lieutenant 
colonel of marines, who, after having endured forty years' service in various parts of the world, 
had the misfortune to be drowned in the Trent, in 1799, and at the age of 68. 

Y 



80 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



It appears, from what the anonymous author, quoted by Deering, says, that there were organs 
in this church in the early part of the seventeenth century ; but a churchwarden, about that time, 
made bold to sell the pipes, and leave the case empty, in which state it remained till about the 
year 1704-, when the parishioners subscribed for a new set of pipes. These in their turn became 
very much out of condition, and were put into a state of complete repair in 1742, at the expense 
of the parish at large. In 1777 this organ was disposed of, and a most excellent new one was 
erected by the celebrated Snetzler. The instrument is supported behind the Quire by two 
Tuscan columns, over which David is painted as playing on his harp. — A glass partition was run 
across the church, at the back of the Quire, in 1798 ; and, in 1808, a new timepiece was placed in 
front of the loft. 

The Marquis of Dorchester had the presentation of this vicarage in 1708 ; the Duke of Kingston, 
in 1722; the Archbishop of York, as the Duke's representative, in 1730; and, at the present 
time it is possessed by Earl Manvers. 

The present vicarage house, which stands facing the south-east corner of the churchyard, was 
built on the site of an old one in 1653, for the accommodation of Mr. Y\ hitelock, and his friend 
and companion in prosperity and adversity, Mr. Reynolds, who came here as minister and lecturer, 
on condition of each receiving sixty pounds per annum, while single ; and an hundred pounds if 
they entered into the marriage state. The parish gave £300 towards the building of the house ; 
the corporation gave the timber ; and the two gentlemen paid the rest of the expense. In 1808, 
Dr. Bristow, the then incumbent, and successor to Dr. Haines, commenced an action at law 
against Mrs. Haines to recover damages, for her late husband's not having kept the house in a 
proper state of repair. It was a very unpopular proceeding ; and, though he laid the damages 
very hi"-h, he obtained only £70. He, however, immediately set about having the front new 
modelled and stuccoed ; and the whole interior also was put into a state of good repair. 

LIST OF THE VICARS OF ST. MARY's PARISH. 



The 



1290 Johannes de Ely 
1304 Robertus de Dalby 
1313 Hinricus dc parva Haly 
1317 Johannes de Ludham 
1322 Joh. ff. VVitti Coryn 
1347 Johannes dc Laundc 

1347 Robert de Wakebridgc 

1 348 Richard de Radclyffe 

1349 Roger de Nyddingworth 
13 49 Richard de Swanyngton 
1351 Thomas de Pascayl 
1357 Johannes Lorimer 
1360 Johannes de Hoveden 
1364 Johannes de Stapleford 
1371 YVilliclmus dc Sandyacre 
1 380 Robertus de Retford 



Years denote their Entrance into Office. 

1401 Richardus de Chilwcll j 1617 

1409 YVilliclmus Ode \ 1635 

1447 Willielmus Wright \ 1662 

1461 Johannes Hurt \ 1686 

1476 Thomas Turner * 1690 

1498 Johannes Greve \ 1693 

1499 Simon Yates \ 1694 
1504 Richard Travcnor ' 1698 

1534 Richard Matthew * 1708 

1535 Richard Wylde \ 1723 
1554 Oliverus Hawood \ 1730 
1568 Johannes Lowthe \ 1743 
1572 Willielmus Underuc \ 1770 
1578 Robertus Aldridge j 1806 
1616 Oliverius Wytherington > 1810 
1616 Johannes Tolson 5 



Radulfus Hansby 
Edmundus Lay cock 
Gcorgius Masterson 
Samuel Crobrow, S. T. P. 
Benjamin Carnficld, A. M 
Vicarage vacant 
Tymothy Carrol, A. M. 
Edwardus Clarke, A. M 
Samuel Bcrdmore, A. M. 
Johannes Disney, A. M. 
Thomas Bcrdmore, A. M. 
Scroop Berdmore, S. T. P. 
Nathan Haines, D. D. 
John Bristow, D. D. 
George Hutchinson, M. A. 






ST. MARY S CHURCH. 



87 



The Rev. Mr. Whitelock was presented in 1651 ; but, along with his friend Mr. Reynolds, was 
driven away by the operation of the Seven Mile Act, soon after the restoration, when they found 
an asylum in the family of the Musterses, at Colwick. 

Two churchwardens, and two assistants, or sidesmen, manage the temporal affairs of this church, 
the churchwarden elect chusing his own sidesman previous to his being sworn into office. The 
churchwardens serve two years ; the vicar and the housekeepers chusing one alternately ; and the 
senior being accountant churchwarden for the year. The following table of receipts and 
disbursements for the year, beginning at Easter, 1806, as furnished by Mr. William Kelk, church- 
warden at the time, will give the reader a clear idea of the internal management of the church affairs. 



RECEIVED. 



s. d. X 



RECEIVED. 



£. 



d. 



Weighing machine - - 
A chant's charity 
For old iron - 
Rent of Mrs. Haines - 
Cooper's dividend 
Burgesses' pence 
For five hour bells . 
For burial in the church 
For sounding board 
Heat of Mr. Dunn - - 



21 

2 

4 
17 

2 


5 



8 

10 

15 



3 

5 



6 

10 





53 19 1U * 



Brought up ....... .. 53 

< Rent of Mrs. Lart ...... 6 

| Manner's charity ...... 2 

| Cash from the late churchwardens . 127 
\ Assessments for the last year ... 29 



? Amount of an assessment book 



403 



| Subscription for fencing the churchyard 199 



5 Land sold for ditto ...... 94 

j Rent of ditto ....... 1 



19 


U4 





6 


ro 





17 


91 





H 


2 


H 


3 


8 















916 14 



PAID. £. s. d. 

Mr. Parkej's annuity .....10 4 

Ringers one year's salary .-..30 11 

Widdowson for cleaning steps ditto - 13 3 

Loft tenders, &c. ditto .... 6 12 9 

Communion plate cleaning ... 3 9 

Johnson, sexton, one year's bills - 25 5 1 

Organ blower, one year .... 2 

Cook, glazier, for work done from 

June, 1804, to April, 1805 ... 14 13 

Mr. Goody for bars for the organ 12 6 

Repairing the prayer-book ... 3 

Mr. Severn for wine ----- 715 

Mr. Jalland for black cloth ... 45 

Mr. Barnsdall for new seats ... 3 1 

Assessment book making .... ] 8 

Expenses at the confirmation ... 3 12 11 

Mr. Smart for mats ..... 2 

Ale for glaziers, &c. ..... 117 6 

Mr. Burden for repairing seats -.066 

115 4 3 



PAW. £ 

Brought up. U5 

Mr. Dawson for timber .... 

Mr. Lee for teaching singers ... 4 

Widows' pence, Easter and Christmas 2 

Mr. Pearson, organist, one year - . 10 
Mr. Cook, glazier ......31 

Apparitor's bill ....... 

E. Smith for washing surplices - - 1 
Mr. Wilson, assisting to repair the 

organ ......... 

Mr. Torr, for work done in 1804 - 

Mr. Rouse for repairing the organ - 8 

Postage (Acham's charity) - . ^ 

Mrs. Fry, for ale . . . ^ .. » 

Christmas box for singers .... 1 

Mr. Greasley, glazier . - - - - 

Mr. Markland for wine -. - ... . 9 

Mr. Stainrod for work .... 9 

Mr. Brothers for ditto - - - - 20 



s. 
14 
5 

7 
10 




15 

4- 
8 


17 
1 
7 
4 

17 

16 



d. 

3 

6 



6 







10) 11 
11 6 



217 11 



88 



HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



PAID. £. 

Brought over ....... 217 

Mr. Cooper for repairing the engine 3 

Mr. Hough for writing .... 6 

Messrs. Burbage and Co. for printing 1 

Mr. Tupman for ditto - - . - - 6 

Mr. Huthwaitc for wine .... 4 

Mr. Holmes for ditto .... - 4 

Mr. Daykin for work done in 1805 76 

Candles for singers ...... 

Mr. Frost, whitesmith ..... 

M rs.Caunt, bread for Manner's charity 2 

For collecting ....... 1 

Sidesmen's allowance ..... 4 

Rev. J. Bristow for houses that stood 

in the church-yard .... - 2 

Mr. Nail for ale 

Watts for dressing bricks .... 
Mr. Twells for arbitration and bonds 

for Mrs. Lart's house, one-third part 1 1 

Mr. Dodd for work in 1799 - - - 30 

Apparitor's bill, 1807 

373 



RECEIVED. 
Fines from victuallers for suffering 

tippling on the sabbath .... 
From tradesmen for trespassing on 

ditto 

For a watchman being drunk on duty 
For carriages travelling oa the sabbath 



£. 



s. 



13 

15 

7 

2 

12 

10 

13 

2 

6 

12 

1 

4 



d. 

11 
7 
7 

10 



6 
4 


6 




s. 





1 6 
3 9 



1 


6 








17 


1 






16 


8 





5 





1 


7 


4 



6 9 



PAlis. £. ,. d. 

Brought up........ 373 5 1 

Mr. Stretton for plans, &c. ... 4 4 

Mr. Ashwcll for iron railing ... 154 19 

For ditto -----..-. 36 6 8 

Mr. Stretton for church-yard wall - 253 3 O 

To ditto for other work in part - - 14 13 6 

Books and paper ...... 2 6 

Three lb. clover seed .---- 3 

Mr. Ely for ale 2 2 

For repairing the burying ground 

wall in Barker-gate .....1318 
Mr. Elliott for work at the Pilchcr. 

gate hospital ...---- 3 O 

Mr. Cook, glazier ------ 211 

Assessments turned over to Mr. 

Tollington 29 12 10| 

Mr. Balguy's opinion at the election 

for Sexton 8 8 

Cash paid to Mr. Tollinton - - - 22 18 

Bad money _*_".- ----/0 5 



d. 



PAID. 
Expenses at two constable meeting* 
For warning in constables, delivering 
cautions, and posting up tables of 
penalties ........ 

Five poor families relieved ... 
Fifteen poor families relieved, as recom- 
mended by the constables ... 
Mr. Sutton, for 300 addresses - - 
Mr. Dunn, for books on the sabbath 
In hand, paid to Mr. Tollinton . . 



916 


14 





£. 


s. 


d. 


1 


12 









15 


6 





13 


4 


1 


15 





1 


4 








9 











2 


6 


9 






To the foregoing-, the annexed note, will be a good accompaniment, on the authenticity of 
which, the reader may place full reliance.* 



* " A Terrier containing an account of the houses, eiebe lands, tythes, stipendiary payments, and all other ecclesiastical dues and profits 
«* whatsoever, belonging to the vicarage of St. Mary, in Nottingham, delivered at the Primary Court of Corrections of the Most Reverend 
" Father in God, Matthew, by Divine Providence, Lord Archbishop of York, in the year of our Lord 1748. 

"1. Imprimis. The Vicarage, house and garden thereto belonging, situate and being in a place in the town of Nottingham, called 
" Maylin-hill. 



ST. mary's church. 89 



At Easter, 1808, four regular overseers were appointed for this parish; till. which time only two 
had been chosen ; hut, so vastly had the business- thereof increased, that two were found 



" 2. Item. About one acre of land in the Sandfield, butting towards the park pales on tbe south, Mr. Cole's land on the west, the 
" highway on the north, Mr. Plumptre's land ou the east. In 1726, in the occupation of Mr. Thomas Hawksley, now of Mr. George 
«' Greasley. 

"•& Item. Above one acre of land in the SandGeld, one end butting towards the highway leading to the Sandhills on the south,, the 
"other end towards Lark-dale, Mr. Egginston's land on the east, north and west. In 1726, in the occupation of. Mr. Thomas Limb, now of 
" the same or his undertenant. 

" A. Item. About half an acre of land called the Harp in the Sandfield, butting on Mr. Sulley's land towards the north, Mr. Flenuniog's ■ 
" land on the west and south, Mr. Ward's land on the east. la 1726, in the occupation of Nicholas Richardson, now of Mrs Nixon, or 
«■ her undertenant. 

" 5. Item. About three roods of land in the Sandfield, butting on the highway coming down to the Sheep-land, or Sheep-lane, on the 
" east, Mr. Ralph Edge's.land on the south, Mr. James Clayton's land on the west, charity land belonging to Mansfield, (let to- Mr. Newhamj 
" on the north. In 1726, in occupation of Nicholas Richardson, now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant. 

" 6. Item. About one acre of land in the Sand field,. in-the road to Lark-dale and Bowling-alley-house, Mr. Samuel Wyer's land towards 
" the west, Mr. Potter^s land towards the north end, Mr. Abel Smith's land towards the east, Miss Hinldey's-land, (Mr. Alderman Huthwaite 
" tenant,) towards the south end. In 1726, in occupation of , now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant. 

" 7. Hem. About one acre and one rood of land in the Sandfield, near Lark-dale, Mr. Sherwin's land on the south, lands belonging to 
" Mr. Smith and the Free-school on the east, Mr. James Clayton's land on the north, Mr. Wylde's land, (Stephen Dodd tenant,) on the west. 
" In 1726, in occupation of , now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant 

" 8. Item. About one acre of land in the Ciayfield, butting upan the Beck-bleach-house, .since called Beck-barn, Mr. Skiner Newham's 
" land on the south,. the Eeckonthe east end, land belonging to the Corporation on the north, George Dodd*s land (late Mr. Grave's) on the 
" west end' In 1726; in occupation of Geoffrey Nixon, now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant. 

"9. Item. T.wo leys containing. about one acre in the Ciayfield upon Gold's-wong., Mr. Hall's land on the east, Mr. Key's land on the 
" south and west, Mr. Trentham's land on the north. In 17*26, in occupation of Geoffrey Nixon, now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant. 

"10. Item.- One land in the Ciayfield near Broad-oak Pool, D3vid Coulston's land on the east, Charity land belonging to Mansfield, (let 
" to Mr. Tepott,) on the south end, land belonging to the Corporation on the west, Mr. PI'umptre's land ou the. north end.' In 1726 in 
" occupation of Geoffery Nixon, now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant: 

" IT. Item. One land containing near one acre in the Ciayfield near the Long-hedge, the Meadow-platt on the south, lands of Mr. Thomas 
" Smith's heir, and of Mr. Sherwin's on the east, Mr. Plumptre's land -on the north, Mr. Robert Thorpe's land on the west. In i 726, in 
" occupation of Geoffery Nixon, now of Mrs Nixon, or her undertenant. 

" 12. Item. A close or garden on tbe backside of Carter-gate, butting on Snenton-close on the east, a garden of the late Mr. Drewry's 
" on the south, Lord Chesterfield's-land on the north. In. 1726, in occupation of Geoffrey Nixon, now of Mrs. Nixon, or her undertenant. 

" 13. Item. About one acre of land in the Ciayfield near Fox-lane end, the highway on the end towards the west, Miss Hinkley's land 
"on the end towards the east, Mr. GregoryJs land towards the south, land belonging, to the Corporation oa the north. In 1726, in 
" occupation of Bartholomew Baiton, Esq., now of Mr. Charles SulLey-. 

" 14; Item. About three roods-of land in the Ciayfield, butting ou. the Beck-dike, and Mr. Plumptre's land on the west, Mr. William 
" Johnson's land, (late Mr. Millward's,) on the north, Mr. Morris's land on the east, land belonging.to the Corporation on the south. In 
"1743, in occupation of William Hutchinson, now of Mr. John Nix. 

" 15. Item. About two acres of land in the Ciayfield upon Crowhill-sands, of Mrs. Plumptre's, and of Mr. William Johnson's on the 
" east, Mr. Jebb's land on the north, a narrow ley late belonging to Lady Morpeth, now to Mr. William Jackson, on the west, Mr. Hall's 
" land on the south. In 1743, in occupation of William Hutchinson, now of Mr. John Nix- 

" 16. Item-. About one acre of land in the Ciayfield at the Woodland, or Wood-lane end, the p.inder's fee and the Beck on the east end, 
" the pinder's fee on west end, a close belonging to the Corporation on the north, Mr. Plumptre's land on the south. In 1726, in occupation 
" of Mr. William Jackson, now of his son Mr. William Jackson. 

" 17. Item- About one acre of land in the Ciayfield, near Darma Meadow-plat, a close of Mr. Plumptre's on the east, and the land of 

" Walters, Esq. late Mr. Smith's, on the west, Mr. Thorpe's land on the north, lands of Mr Thomas Smith's heirs, and part of the 

" Glebe on the south. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. William Jackson, now of his son Mr. William Jackson. 

** 18. Item. About one acre of land in the Ciayfield on the east side of the Beck, at some distance the land of the late Mr. William 
"Thorpe, (former y Busy's Furlong,) on tbe west, Mr. William Jackson's land on the east, Mr. Plumptre's land on^the north and soutl*. 
" In 1726, in occupation of Mr. William Jackson, now of bis son Mr. William Jackson. 



90 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



inadequate to its performance. And, as we are now quitting this parish, as a distinctive part of 
the town, the following short account of the assessments collected for the maintenance of the poor 



" 19. Item. Two leys containing about one acre of land in the Clay field, butting on the Beck near the new spring, the Beck on the east, 
•• Mr. Robert Thorpe's land on the south, Mrs. Hall's land on the west, Mr. James Clayton's land on the north. In 1726, in occupation of 
" Mr. Thomas Lamb, now of the same or his undertenant. 

" 20. Item. One land containing about three roods in the Clayfield near the gallows, the highway to the gallows on the west, Mr. Smith's 
" land on the south, Mr. Plumptre's land on the north, laud belonging to the Corporation on the east. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas 
" I.amb, now of the same or his undertenant. 

" 21 . Item. Three or four short cuts containing about half an acre of land in Darma Meadow-plat in the Clayfield, the Beck-dike on the 
" south, Mr. Plumptre's land on the east and north, the lands of Mr. Smith's heirs on the west. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas 
*' Lamb, now of the same. 

" 22. Item. One ley containing about three roods of land in the meadow near Hooper's Sconce, the Leen and Mr. Drewry's Pingle on the 
" north, Mr. Charles Drewry's land on the east, Mr. Abel Smith's land on the west, the Pinder's fee on the south. In 1726, in occupation 
*' of Mr. Thomas Lamb, now of the same or his undertenant. 

" 23. Item. One other ley containing about half an acre of land in the meadow near Hooper's Sconce, the Pinder's Fee on the north' 
" the little Ryehill Dike and Mr. Plumptre's land, (Winrow tenant,) on the east, Mr. Hind's land on the west, Mr. Plumptre's land,(Winrow 
" tenant) on the south. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas Lamb, now of the same or his undertenant. 

" 24. Item. About one acre and a half of land in the meadow near the King's meadows, Mr. Abel Smith's land on the South-hill closes , 
" Harrison tenant,) on the west, Mr. Robert Millar's land, (Thomas Boot tenant,) on the north, lands of Mr. Ralph Edge and of Mr. Abel 
" Smith on the east. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas Lamb, now of the same or his undertenant. 

" 25. Item. .About three roods of land in the meadows upon the great Rye-hills, butting upon the Bull-piece, on the north Mr. Plumptre's 
" land, on the south Mr. Farr's land, (late Mr. Drury's) on the east, Mr. Featherston's land on the west. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. 
" Mr. John White, now of his son Mr. William White. 

" 26. Item. One ley containing about one acre of land in the meadows upon the Great Ryehills, butting upon the Bull-piece on the 
" north, Mr. Plumptre's land on the south, Mr. Abel Smith's land, (late Mr. Greave's) on the west, land belonging to the Charity School on 
" the east. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas Jalland, now of Mr. Thomas Collin. 

" 27. Item. One ley containing about one acre of land in the meadows upon the Great Ryehills, butting upon the Bull-piece on the north, 
" the Pinder's Fee on the south, Mr. Plumptre's land o.i the west, Mr. Abel Smith's land, (late Mr. Greave's) on the east. In 1726, in 
" occupation of Mr. Thomas Jalland, now of Mr. Thomas Collin. 

* 23. Item. One ley containing about one acre of land in the meadow upon the Ryehills, causeway pool and Mr. Robert Milner's land 
" on the north, the Pinder's Fee on the west, Mr. Plumptre's land on the east and south. In 1726, in occupation of Mr. Thomas Jalland, 
" now of Mi. Thomas Collin. 

*' 29. Item A piece of land supposed to be by the Leen side near the King's Meadows leading into the Park-iow, and for some time past, 
" in the occupation of his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for which his Grace pays to the vicar thirty shillings per annum. 

" 30. Item. The church-yard which had a house standing thereOB formerly, but it was taken down some years ago to enlarge the place 
" for burials, now the churchwardens pay to the vicar the yearly rent of forty shillings in consideration of the said house.* 

" 31. Item. Tythe of the Leen mill, being twenty shillings payable at Easter. 

" 32. Item. Tythe of Nether Trent Close. 

" 33. Item. Tythe of all Tofts and Crofts. 

" 34. Item. Tythe bread of every baker of the parsih, viz. a halfpenny loaf every Saturday. 

" 35. Item. Tythe pigs, potatoes, flax, and all other small tythes. 

" 36. Item. Tythe of all gardens occupied by gardeners at two shillings in the pound rent. 

" 37. Item. For all sheep that go in the fields from Michaelmas to Martinmas at fourpenoe per score. 

"38. Item. Twenty shillings per annum for a sermon upon the subject of christian love and charity, to be preached yearly on Good 
" Friday, in the afternoon, left by the will of Alderman Parker. 

39. Item. Twenty shillings per annum for two sermons upon charity, to be preached yearly, the one on the Sunday before Whitsunday, 
" the other on the Sunday before Christmas-day, left by the will of Alderman Staples. 

" 40. Item. Ten shillings per annum for a sermon to be preached yearly upon the day of the restoration of King Charles the Second, 
" left by the will of Mr. William Thorpe Clerk, late vicar of Blidworth' 

" 41. Item. Surplice fees (viz.) for every burial in the church-yard one shilling, in the church two shillings, in the chancel two shillings 

* / tonctive this to hav been the Trinity-house; and, tradition informs us, that it stood in the north-west corner of the church-yard. 



ST PETER'S CHURCH, 




IT NICHOLAS'S CHURCH, 



ST. PETER'S CHURCH. 



ft! 



may not be thought unworthy of observation ; being partly obtained from the parish records 
in the vestry, and partly from the overseers' ledgers : — the pence with their fractional parts are 
omitted. 



Years. 

1764 
1768 
1792 
1797 



Sums collected. 
£. s. d. 
380 2 

513 19 

3657 14 

5457 10 



Years. 



Sums collected. 



£. 



s. d. 




1802 11050 

1804 15382 13 

1808 18499 10 

1812 24763 12 



The following is an aggregate statement of the Town Rate, from the 9th of August, 1799, to 
the 31st of December, 1807, of which St. Mary's parish pays two thirds. 



Years. £. s. d. 

1799 269 92 

1800 902 10 1 

1801 1368 16 11 

1802 1338 



6 
1803 . ----- - 2982 15 



2| 
5 



Years. £. si d. 

1804 1661 10 7| 



6 2{ 



1805 1322 

1806 3013 10 8£ 

1807 2901 8 1 



ST. PETER s CHURCH 

Stands a little to the south of the Market-place, upon an eminence twelve yards above the level 
of the meadows. Its structure, both in beauty and size, is far inferior to St. Mary's. It is built 
of stone, in the Gothic style ; and, at the west end, a clumsy tower supports a spire of an ordinary 
size. 

Deering conjectures that this church is " hardly quite so old as St. Mary's ;" by which words 
he evidently supposes it to be of Saxon origin ; since that people were masters of this kingdom, 
long after the fictitious date which our author has assigned for the erection of St. Mary's church. 
How a man of Deering's learning could fall into so gross an error, is really surprising. If there 
had been any remains of the thick heavy walls, and the obtuse angles, which marked the Saxon 
architecture, there would have been a shadow of probability in support of his opinion ; but, not 
the smallest trace of such evidence appears. 



" and sixpence, and the same fees are paid for those who die in the parish and are buried in other places, for every churching sevenpence- 
" halfpenny, for the publication of every banns one shilling and sixpence, for every certificate at the publication of banns one shilling, 
" for every mariiage by banns one shilling, for every marriage licence five shillings, and for every woman who lives in the parish and is 
" married bv licence in any other place five shillings. 

" 42. Item. For every head stone set up in the church-yard or the burial ground two shillings and sixpence, and far etery flat stone ore 
" ponnd, one shilling. 

" 43. Item. Mortuaries. 

" 44 Item. Easter offerings (viz.) sixpence-halfpenny for every house in the parish." 

" We believe the above Terrier, consisting of forty-four articles, contains a true account of the houses, glebe lands, tythes, stipendiary 
*' payments, and all other ecclesiastical dues and profits whatsoever, belonging to the vicarage of St. Mary, in Nottingham. 

" Scrope Beardmore, vicar of St. Mary, in Nottingham ; Thomas^Pearson, Richard Liptrott— Churchwardens ; William White, John Nix, 
" Charles Sulley, Thomas Lamb, Martha Nixon." 



92 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



On the subject of Gothic architecture, as it is mistakenly called, F.. Carter, Esq. F. A. S. thus 
expresses himself. " Our pointed arch style of architecture, nicknamed Gothic, appears to have 
" emerged by accident, and incidental changes, into construction and method, and to have arisen 
" from the embers of architecture in use amongst us, during the era of the Saxons" Thus this 
great antiquary finds the kind of building we are speaking of to have " emerged by accident 
,f and incidental changes into method from the embers of Saxon architecture," instead of its 
existing as monuments of the labour of that people. The eloquent author of the History of 
Malmsbury, who labored much in the field of architectural antiquity, has the following observations 
on the subject. " The beautiful peculiarities which stamp the sacred edifices of the thirteenth and 
" fourteenth centuries, are the steeples with spires and pinnacles ; the pillars formed of an 
" assemblage of light columns ; the lofty windows, sometimes towering* to a point, sometimes 
" (especially at the east and west end of the churches) much enlarged, divided into several lights 
" by stone mullioi^, and always filled with glass stained with lively colours, to represent saints and 
u martyrs, kings, queens, and benefactors." Here we have the date of the introduction of spire 
and pinnacle erections, of which our church is one ; and this most distant date is in the thirteenth 
century. Probably this church was built in the early part of the fifteenth century by Henry the 
Fifth, who displayed a partiality to this town. Had it been built much later, it would, in the 
language of Leland, like St. Mary's, have obtained the appellation of new ;■ and, had it been built 
at a much earlier period, the marks of decay would not have escaped his observation.. In the age 
to which we are alluding-, the clergy had instilled a belief, that crimes, of whatever nature, had 
their price of forgiveness in this world ,- and, under the influence of this opinion, it was customary 
for those monarchs, who had shed the most blood, to be the most bountiful in erecting churches, 
monasteries, and abbeys : hence it was that so many of these edifices sprung up in Europe, when 
the founders thereof had thinned the population of the earth with their crimes : among- whom, our 
Henry the Fifth stands eminently conspicuous. 

Deering says, when the workmen were making a family vault in the south side of the church 
by order of Abel Smith, Esq. banker, of this town, in the year 1739, they found " a red tire, 
" glazed with cross-keys upon it ;" hence he concludes,, that the altar had been paved around with 
the like materials. On our author's naming this circumstance to John Plumptre, Esq. the latter 
shewed him a similar tile which had been found in St. Mary's church, and on which were the figures 
of a bell, a key, and a sword, the two latter being the symbols of St. Peter and St. Paul. Bells 
were introduced into churches by St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, in the fifth century ; and the 
figure thereof, accompanied with the symbols of the two principal saints, being represented on the 
materials for paving the most sacred part of the churches, would have a tendency to heighten the 
veneration in the audience. But, so far from the finding of these sacred fragments being a proof 
of the great antiquity of the churches themselves, a proof to the contrary, is deducihle therefrom; 
for, when these edifices were built on the foundation or site of others, the probability is that some 
fragments of the old, and greatly damaged pavements, would be buried in the earth which was 
occasionally removed, 



ST. PETER'S CHURCH. 93 



Until the dissolution of chapels, chantries, and religious guilds, by Henry the Eighth, there 
were in this church the chapels of St. Mary and All-Saints, the former in the south and the latter 
in the north side of the church. There was also a guild, or fraternity of St. George ; the date of 
which is carried back to the year 1440.* 

The exterior of this edifice has undergone considerable repairs within the last thirty years. 
In 1789, the upper part of the steeple was in a very dilapidated state, when a man of the name 
of Wooton, commonly called the steeple climber, undertook to repair it, without the expense of 
scaffolding. He began by placing a ladder against the steeple, which he secured to the wall with 
tenters : he then mounted that with another on his shoulder, which he fastened above it in like 
manner ; and, so on till he reached the top. To prevent himself falling, he was girded round with belts, 
which, bv means of hooks, he connected with the ladders. Thus were the materials borne up ; and thus 
was Wooton enabled to rebuild four yards of the steeple ; and, when he had completed the work, he 
fixed a weathercock on the top. When he had accomplished his undertaking, in order to excite 
admiration and obtain money, he walked round the summit of the spire, beat a drum, and drank a 
bottle of ale, in the sight of thousands of people on a market-day; but the reprobation of the 
man's temerity, so far over-balanced public admiration, as in a considerable degree to diminish his 
expected rewardf. 

In 1800, the south side of the church was rebuilt, though the stone was extremely unfit for such 
a purpose, And, in 1806 and 7 the northern portico was taken down, and that side of the church 
was stuccoed. A question, whether the parishioners or the rector should repair the chancel, was 
agitated in the vestry in 1814; but, in consideration of there being no great tithes belonging to the 
rectory, with the prospect of a most expensive litigation and a doubt of success before their eyes, 
the parishioners agreed to take the burden upon themselves. 

Deering says, during the civil wars, that an accidental bomb fell into the vestry and dashed it to 
pieces. And Throsby says, this circumstance happened when the town was besieged If that 
species of attack could be called a siege, which consisted in a body of men once obtaining 
possession of the town by treachery in the night, and once when its defenders were elsewhere 
employed, and then flying away at the approach of the latter, then Throsby is right in saying that 
Nottingham was besieged by the royalists, and not otherwise. I presume that Colonel Hutchinson 
purposely directed several bombs or shots at this church to drive the Newarkers away, who had 
made a lodgment in it, in February 1644. There is a peal of eight bells in this steeple, the best 
attuned and the most melodious of any within many miles. They were cast in 1771, and rung the 
first time on the morning of Christmas-day that year ; though Throsby, negligently, and ignorantly, 
states them to have been cast about the year 1783. 



* In the south ais'e, or the chapel formerly dedicated to St. Mary, the Spiritual Court of the Archdeaconry has been kept, time 
immemorial ; but in, or about the year 1795, the practice of litigation ceased, all causes being referred to the eourt of York, except 
the merely issuing of citations ; notwithstanding this, the eourt meets as usual, four, five, or six times a year, which meetings axe regulated 
by tbe court of York. 

f Through misfortunes, tbis man ended his days in Nottingham gaol, as a debtor, In. 1808, 

2 A 



94 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



A poor washerwoman, of the name of Margery Doubleday, by a will bearing date the 20th of 
June, 1544, left the rent of a close, which abuts upon the south side of Broad-marsh, and which 
then let for twenty shillings a year, to the sexton of this parish, on condition of his ringing the 
then seventh bell (which she bought for the purpose) every morning, except Sundays, at four 
o'clock, to arouse the washerwomen of the town to their labour. She also willed the rent of a 
close, which was then seventy-six shillings and eightpence, to be paid to the Guild of St. George 
in this church, for prayers being put up for her soul and that of her husband, for ever*. These 
salaries are now become sinecures ; the sexton and minister receiving the wages, the former for 
tolling the bell once a year, and the latter for dreaming a dirge and thinking a mass* 

The church-yard, till the year 1804, was open to the public; there being one entrance to the 
north, one to the south, and one at the north-east corner; but it was then inclosed, by stopping 
the north and south entrances, and by running a line of cast-metal palisades across the east end, 
leaving a footway from the south-east to the north-east corner ; the southern, and northern boundaries 
of the ground being inclosed with a wall ; a principal entrance, for persons attending divine worship 
being preserved in the latter direction, near the end of Peck-lane. 

Within this hallowed inclosure are many grave and head-stones ; among the former, on the east 
side of the path which leads to the northern entrance into the church, is one, sacred to the memory 
of a man who was a great stickler for the high, or blue party in this town, at elections; and who 
is stated to have had great influence with the working class. He was a needle-maker by trade ; 
but, though poor, he was honest ; for, it is said to his honor, that he never took a bribe. What 
a national blessing would it be, if as much could be said, with truth, of every elector and 
representative in the kingdom! In 1727, an opposition took place at the election of Borlace 
Warren, Esq. and the Hon. John Stanhope; the latter gentleman and John Plumptre, Esq. being 
of the whig party ; but Mr. Warren was the object of our hero's choice, who declared, while the 
election was in progress, " that he should not mind dying immediately, if his cock succeeded ;" 
and so it turned out ; for, when the chairing was over, he fell down dead with impassioned joy ; in 
consequence of which, and from his having been a dutiful and kind son to a widowed mother, the 
following serio-comic epitaph was written for and engraved upon his tomb : — 

Here lies Vin Eyre, 

Let fall a tear, 
For one true man of honor, 

No courtly Lord, 

That breaks his word, 
Will ever be a mourner. 

In freedom's cause, 
He stretch'd his jaws, 
Exhausted all his spirit ; 






* This close was stated to be at the wood side ; and as I am informed, the next close but one to the Trough Close,- on the north side, 
•f- In St. Peter's register, we find the following anecdote recorded : — "The little bell, which the Towu Crier useth, doth belong to the 
church of St. Peter, and was cast at the charge of the parish, 1624." 



ST. PETER S CHURCH. 



95 



Then fell down dead — 
It must be said 
He was a man of merit. 

.Let freemen be 

As brave as he, 
And vote without a guinea : 

Vin Eyre is hurl'd 

To th' other world 
And ne'er took bribe a penny. 

Sept. Gth, 1727. 

True to his friend, to helpless parent kind, 
He died in honor's cause — to interest blind ! 
Why should we grieve, life's but an airy toy ; 
We vainly weep for him who died with joy ! 

This man being thus marked out, as an exception in the system of corruption at elections, 
proves that considerable progress in the path of patriotic rectitude has been made since that time; 
as, within the last twenty years, many electors have been found, among the working class, whose 
conduct in resisting threats, and every species of seductive allurement, has done honor to the 
parties to which they were respectively attached.— Every letter is worn out of the stone, which 
covers the ashes of honest Vin. ; and, their not being replaced, reflects discredit on the burgesses 
at large, particularly the party in whose cause he expired.* 

A peculiar neatness distinguishes the interior of this church ; and, in 1812, an organ was erected 
in it by subscription among the parishioners. — A large square window used to adorn the east end 
of the chancel, by the variegation it displayed of ancient coats of arms in stained glass ; but, in 
1720, it was built up, and an altar-piece was placed against it, which is a great ornament to the 
church. It represents Christ and eleven apostles at the last supper; and Moses and Aaron 
grace the side extremities in their pontifical robes. But, the beauty of the piece was much injured 
by the operation of the southern sunbeams, before the parishioners had the foresight to protect it 
by a window-blind. 

The north side of the chancel is graced with several mural monuments : — Two to the memory 
of the families of Lockes and Saunders, ornamented with their respective armorial bearings are 
near the eastern end. Another informs us that John Tempest, Esq. third son of Sir George 
Tempest, Bart, of Tong, in the county of York, died in 1752, at the age of 51. His wife, 
Elizabeth, is stated to have followed him in 1784, at the age of 77. It also remembers the Rev. 
Robert Tempest, who departed this life in 1755, aged 53. Near the vestry door is a beautiful 
one of white marble to the memory of Charlotte Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Ann, Lord 
and Lady Carrington, and wife of Alan Hyde, Lord Gardner, who departed this life on the 27th 



* There are six or seven elm trees in this church-5'ard — A statute of the last of Edward the First, directs trees to be planted in chuich- 
yarc's ;. and the preamble to it states, that the original design of planting them in these places was, to protect churches against the wiud. 



06 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



of March, 1811, at the age of 27. She left two children ; and is spoken of as having possessed 
every virtue, which can adorn the female character. 

On the opposite wall is one to the memory of Edward Chappel, rector of this parish and of 
Barnborough in the county of York, and prebendary of Southwell. Over the door is a plain 
monument which states John Sherbrooke, Gent, to have died in 1760, aged 84. There are several 
other monuments in this church, among which we will notice one to the memory of Francis 
Braithwaite, a respectable hosier of this town, who died at the age of 47, in the year 1813. He 
was principally instrumental in causing the organ to be erected the previous year. In the south 
aisle is one to the memory of Thomas Trigge, Alderman, who quitted this earthly tabernacle in 
1704, in the 52d year of his age. He gave £b0 at his death to buy land with, the rent whereof 
to be distributed in bread to the poor, by the minister and churchwardens on Christmas-day. Near 
to this is one to the memory of John Rickards, Alderman, who departed this life in 1703. 

Upon a tombstone in this aisle in the following inscription : — " Here lie the bodies of William 
" Ayscough, printer and bookseller, of this town, and Ann, his wife — she was daughter of the 
" Rev. Mr. Young, rector of Catwick, in the county of York. He died March 2d, 1719; she 
u died December 16th, 1732," To this Deering adds, " The above Mr. Ayscough is remarkable 
" for having first established the art of printing in this town, about the year 1710."* In the north 
aisle are several hatchments, one to the memory of a bachelor of the name of Langford, one to a 
female of the Smith's family, and the other three to males of the same family. 

LIST OF THE RECTORS OF ST. PETER s PARISH. 

1241 Johannes de Nottingham | 1483 Johannes Maycwe I 1618 Hugo Parke, sequestrator 

1280 Johannes Cathal j 1486 ltobertus Cotyngham I 

1287 Richardus de Stapleton \ 1499 Willielmus Ilkeston 



1538 Johannes Ploughman. 
1550 Nicholaus Cooke 



\ 
1292 Johannes Brus de Pykering | 1510 JohannesPloughKyngsbury 

1300 Adam de Kyrkby 

1322 Lancelot de Corebto 

1323 Willielmus de Willoughby 
1334 Robertus Jolan 
1347 Willielmus de Whatton 
1349 Henricus de Kcyworth 
1369 Robertus de Newbald 
1375 Willielmus de Rodington 
1392 Hugo Martel 
1426 Johannes Burton 
1434 Johannes Drayton 
1445 Willielmus Gull 



\ 1578 Johannes Nyttervel Wittie 

| 1583 Carolus Aynsworth 

| 1588 Radolphus Shutte 

5 1593 Johannes Pare 

| 1604 Franciscus Rodcs 

\ 1606 Roger Freeman 

| 1610 Johannes Kelle 

| 1610 Thomas Low 

| 1617 Georgius Cotes 



1619 Georgius Cotes 

1640 Johannes Goodall 

1642 Johannes Aysthorpe 

1667 Samuel Leak 

1672 Edwardus Buxton 

1680 Willielmus Wilson, A. M. 



$ 1693 Nathan Drako, A. M. 

\ 1704 Timothy Fenton, A. M. 

* 1721 James Wilson, A. M. 

$ 1725 Edward Chappell, A. M. 

5 1767 Samuel Martin, A. M. 

i 1783 Jeremiah Bigsby, A. M. 

* 1797 John Staunton, L. L. D.+ 

* 1814 R. W. Almond, A. M. 



* Mr. Ayscough commenced the printing business in a house, on the west side of Bridlesmith-gate, midway between Pepper-street and 
Peter-gate. In about six years after, Mr John Collyer commenced printing a newspaper, (in a house on Timber-bill, now occupied by 
Mr. Wilson, draper,) which was called the Nottingham Post, and was continued till the year 1732, when Mr. George Ayscough, son of the 
above-mentioned William, began the Nottingham Courant, in the house wherein his father t;onimenced the business of printing. In 1757, 
Mr. Samuel Creswell, of this town, and Mr. John Gregory, of Leicester, began a paper, called the Leicester and_Nottingham Journal: it 



ST. NICHOLAS'S CHURCH. 97 



ST. NICHOLAS s CHURCH. 

By examining Specie's map, we find that the church, which occupied the site of the present one, 
was similar in shape and size to St. Peter's ; but, it appears to have been more ornamented, 
and rather more modern in its erection. V^ hen the castle was commanded by Colonel Hutchinson, 
Alderman Toplady treacherously let the Newarkers into the town, who obtained possession of this 
church ; on which account Mrs. Hutchinson thus speaks. " There was an old church, called St. 
" Nicholas's church, whose steeple so commanded the platform, that the men could not play the 
" ordnance without woolsacks before them. From this church the bullets played so thick into the 
" outward castle yard, that they could not pass from one. gate to another, nor relieve the guards, 
" but with very great hazard." When the Colonel had chased the Newarkers out of the town, 
he, by the advice of the committee, ordered the church to be taken down, lest it should again 
furnish his enemies with the means of annoying him. On this subject, Deering fell into an 
egregious, if not a malicious mistake ; for he says, Colonel Hutchinson sent the bells to Owthorpe, 
which place was the Colonel's property ; but, so far from that being the fact, that village was 
then in the hands of the royalists, and continued so till the surrender of Newark to the parliamentary 
troops ; nor is there more than one bell at Owthorpe. Several pieces of a bell, or bells, were 
found some years ago by a person who was digging near the foundation of the present tower ; and 
it is probable that the whole of the bells were broken by the shot from the castle. A paper 
preserved by the late Mr. Walter Merry, antiquary of this town, contains the following remarks : — 
" At, or about Candlemass, 1714, one or more of the pinnacles of the tower of St. Nicholas's 
" church, in Nottingham was blown down, which occasioned the breaking of a main piece of 
" timber, between the steeple and the body of the church ; on the plaster of which beam were 
" written these words — This church was burnt and pulled down 1647, and began ag-ain 1671." 
The paper was signed, Bn. Stephenson, sexton, and J. Abson, rector. Some remains of the 
foundation of the old church has been found by the sexton near the top of Rosemary-lane. 

The present church is built of brick, with stone ornaments : the steeple is a tower, containing 
one bell (independent of the sermon bell,) which was cast in 1726. The edifice was finished in 
1678 ; but it has undergone several alterations and improvements since that time. In 1756, the 



was printed in Leicester, and published at a given hour in Nottingham. This concern lasted till 1769, when Mr. Creswell bought the 
Courantof Mr. Ayscough, and converted it into the Nottingham Journal, in the house at the south end of the Exchange, now occupied by 
Messrs. Parker and Son, tailors and drapers In 1772, Mr. George Burbage set up the Nottingham Chronicle, on the Lonar-row, in the 
second house west of the Crown Inn, now in the occupation of Messrs. Newman and Kirk, drapers. This paper continued till 1775 when 
Creswell and Burbage compromised their opposition, and became joint proprietors of the Journal, which afterwards became the sole property 
of Mr. Burbage, and, at his death, of Mr. George Stretton, who married his daughter. In 1780, Mr. Henry Gox, writing-master, commenced 
printing the Nottingham Gazette, in the house now owned and occupied by Mr. Tatham, grocer, on the Middle-pavement, at the eastern 
side of the entrance into Postern-place ; but it was given up within the first year. The Nottingham Review was established by Mr. Charles 
Sutton, at hishouse, at the north-east corner of Bridlesmith-gate, 180S. And another Nottingham Gazette was began by Mr. William 
Tupman, in 1813, at the north-west corner-house in High-street. 

f This gentleman's name was Aspinshaw; but, he obtained the king's licence to change his name, on account of some territorial 
inheritance". 

2 B 



98 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



south side was extended by means of voluntary contributions ; and, in 1783, ,£500 was raised in 
the same honorable way for the purpose of enlarging- and otherwise repairing- the north side. - 

There are few edifices erected for religious purposes, which exhibit more grandeur, in the art of 
decorative simplicity, or more taste without ostentation, than the interior of this church displays ; 
and there is a small organ, which was erected in 1811. On the north side of the communion table, 
an elegant painting- represents the good Samaritan ; and on the south side, one represents the 
return of the Prodigal Son. The walls are likewise decorated with a number of monuments, some 
of which have a striking appearance. On the right hand side of the communion table is one to 
the memory of Elizabeth Alsop, who died in 1731 ; and to Mary Alsop, who died in 1751. In 
the south aisle is a handsome one to the memory of John Collin, Esq. and several of his children, 
the descendants of Lawrence Collin, gunner to Colonel Hutchinson. He was a wool-comber by 
trade, and obtained an order from Cromwell, after the decapitation of Charles, to settle in this town 
and follow his business ; but the Corporation opposed the order, on the ground of his not being a 
freeman of the town. They were induced however to yield to the mandate of Cromwell : and, 
from the benefactions of his posterity, the town has reason to be thankful, that the nonsensical 
opposition of the Corporation was over ruled: — The inscription upon his monument is in these 
words : — 

Near this place 

LIES THE JiODY OF L v >:, - 

JOHN COLLIN, ESQ. 
Who departed this life June 18th 1717. 

IX THE 45th YiiAR OF HIS AGE. 

He married Mary, daughter or George Longford, Esq. 

and Judith his wife, by whom he had issue ^ 

six sons and foir daughters, longford, abel, 

Thomas, John, Samuel, and George, 

Ann, Mary, Judith, and Ann. 

Ann, Samuel, and George, 

died in 1 heir infancy before him. 

Abel Collin, died August 8th 1730. 

Judith Collin, died Feb 7th 1731. 

Three graves-stones below inform us, that Lawrence Collin, died in August, 1704, in the 91st 
year of his age : that Abel Collin died in April, 1705 ; and Thorqas Collin, in January, 1706. 

Another monument remembers Lucy Gage, wife of John Gage, Esq. who departed this life in 
1739 ; and the Rev. John Gage, rector of Colwick and West-Bridgeford, who died in 1770. 

At the west end of the north aisle, a handsome marble contains the following inscription : — 
" Near this place lieth the body of Lamuel Lowe, who died the 30th June, 1770, aged 80 years 
" Also, Mary, his widow, who died 13th January, 1775, aged 77. Likewise William Lowe, their 
" son, who died 25th July, 1788, aged 64. Also, Ann, his wife, who died 7th December, 1781, 
" aged 41. 

There are many vaults in this church, among which are two near to the last mentioned place, 
containing the ashes of two Nottingham families, of considerable repute ; viz. the Huishes and the 



ST. NICHOLAS'S CHURCH. 99 



Davisons. The grandfather of the present branches of the Huish family was a woolcomber ; and, 
by care and industry he commenced the business of a hosier, in which he laid the foundation of 
ample fortunes for his posterity. The other family has been less fortunate ; though Robert and 
John, the two sons of Doctor Davison, will long be remembered as active tradesmen and distinguished 
patriots ; John also being a vigilant magistrate of the town ; but, some unfortunate circumstances 
having shattered his affairs, he became reduced, and the goodness of his heart completed his ruin ; 
for, having given security, to a very large amount, for the faithfulness of a young man, as clerk in 
the Bank of England, who betrayed his trust, and escaped the halter by a kind of miracle, he was 
obliged to pay the forfeited sum, which brought on an insolvency ; and he died in 1804, in the 
prime of life, of a broken heart. Mr. Robert Davison was equally unfortunate, though one of the 
most accomplished tradesmen of his clay. He quitted the hosiery business, and commenced worsted 
spinning at Arnold, on a very extensive scale, in conjunction with Mr. John Hawksley ; but, the 
concern proved unprosperous; and he expired of an apoplexy in 1807, leaving his affairs in a state 
of insolvency. 

At the east end of this aisle is an elegant marble monument to the memory of Francis Hawksley, 
who died August 30th, 1749, aged 82 ; Elizabeth his wife, who died December 15th, 1756, aged 
88 : and to Francis their son, who died September 14th, 1781 ; also, in memory of Thomas 
Hawksley, who died January 4th, 1782, aged 49 ; Elizabeth his wife, who died September 9th, 
1807, aged 75; and also their son Thomas, who died October 3d, 1802, aged 49. The last named 
gentleman was equally famed as a chemist, a patriot, and a philantropist in this town. 

There are four hatchments in this church — one to the memory of a Mr. Newdigate who resided 
in a house at the top of the north side of Castle-gate, known for years by the name of 
JSewdigate-house ; another to the memory of the first Sir George Smith, Bart, who built the 
mansion now called Bromley-house on Angel-row ; the third to that of Cornelius Launder, Esq. 
late of this town ; and the fourth in remembrance of a Mr. Cooper of the Thurgaton family. 

The church-yard, which is eleven yards above the level of the meadows, is thickly beset with 
grave and head-stones ; and among the numerous epitaphs which they exhibit, is one to the memory 
of a Thomas Booth, who was considered the most accomplished hero of his age in the practice of 
deer-stealing. Old Tom was so delighted with the epitaph, .which was made before his death, that 
he obtained a head-stone and had it engraven thereon, preparative to his dissolution, which happened 
in 1752, in the 75th year of his age. He was a very stout man ; and by trade a whitesmith. The 
stone stands against the southern wall of the church. 

" Here lies a marksman, who, with art and skill, 

" When young and strong, fat bucks and does did kill. 

" Now conquered by grim death (go reader tell it) 

u He's now took leave of powder, gun, and pellet. ' 

" A fatal dart, which in the dark did fly, 

" Has laid him down among the dead to lie. 

" If any want to know the poor slave's name, 

" 'Tis Old Tom Booth, ne'er ask from whence he came. 

" He's hither rent; and surely such another, 
Lor C. « Ne'er issued from the belly of a mtfther." 



100 



HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



On the east side of the church-yard is a small mural monument to the memory of William John 
Gill, son of the Rev. Joseph Gill, vicar of Scraptoft in Leicestershire, who was apprentice to Mr. 
Attenburrow, surgeon, and who, at the age of 19, on the 19th August, 1802, was drowned in the 
Trent, while in the act of bathing, between the boat-house and the bridge. He was much admired 
for the suavity of his manners ; and was much lamented by the faculty for the precocity of his 
genius. The following pathetic lines are engraven on the monument : — 

" Ah ! why in speechless, hopeless, anguish bend, 

" O'er his lov'd grave, the parent, sister, friend ? 

" Why mourn, when honor, goodness, mildness, truth, 

" Ennobled and adorned his blameless youth? 

; ' Why mourn, when firm in virtue's path he trod ? 

" That virtue which endeared bim to his God. 

" He saw, approved, made soft the mortal blow, 

" And snatch'd him guiltless from a world of woe." 

Adjoining to the south-east side of the church-yard is an additional burying ground. 
RECTORS OF ST. NICHOLAS'S CHURCH. 



1259 Will Bishop 

1267 Richard de Weremsworth 

1285 Johannes de Ludham 

1317 Herbertus Pouger 

1318 Williclmus de Ilkeston 
1321 Galfridus de Wilford 
1329 Gilbertus de Ottrington 
. Thomas Tutil 

1351 Richardus Kaym de Gotham 
1366 Johannes Templer 

1366 Johannes Deinby 

1367 Thomas Lorday de Stanley 
1371 Willielmus de Bilham 



1427 Willielmus Cokker 
1432 Willielmus Westthorpe 

1435 Johannes Sampson 

1436 Johannes Hopwell 
1464 Nicholas Fish 
1466 Richardus Elkesly 
1471 Robertus Echard 

1476 Thomas Tewe 

1477 Edmundus Holme 
1497 Johannes Dale 

1502 Thomas Reyncr 

1503 Reynaldus Marshal 
1531 Alexander Penhill 



Roger Bampton vel Mempton \ 



I 1585 Railulphus Shute 

? 1588 Johannes Lambe 

5 1611 Robertus Malham 

* 1622 Robertus Aynsworth) 
§ 1663 Johannes Aysthorpe 
? 1665 Vacant to 1669 

5 1669 Samuel Leek 

* 1674 Vacant to 1682 

5 1682 Johannes Simpson 

5 1715 Johannes Abson, A. M. 

| 1749 George Wakefield, A. M * 

5 1767 George Beaumont, L. L. B. 

5 1773 Charles Wylde, D. D. 

\ 



1533 Thomas Ward 

It is singular, that in every list of the rectors of this parish, previous to the publication of this 
History, the writer thereof has substituted vicars in their stead. The list too, from 1622, to 1669, 
appears a complete jumble, which we will rectify in the best manner we are able. It is stated in 
the previously published lists, that Robert Aynsworth, who was inducted in 1622, was the last 
incumbent till after the restoration; that John Aysthorpe, who became rector of St. Peter's in 
1642, was sequestrator of St. Nicholas' in 1663 ; and that, in 1664, there was no sequestrator. — 
Now, from Robert Aynsworth being stated to be the last incumbent till after the restoration, we 
should be justified in concluding, that one had been inducted immediately on that event taking 



* The Corporation presented Mr. Wakefield with the freedom of the town, on his being inducted into this rectory ; and the first time h« 
exercised his franchise was in 1754, when he voted contrary to the corporate interest, in return for which, they withheld from him a share of 
the £50 which they gave annually among the ministers of the three parishes; but restored it to him in about three years. This donation 
is now entirely withheld. 



ST. NICHOLAS'S CHURCH. 101 



place, which was in 166(3, yet we find none mentioned till 1669; though we are told, that John 
A.sthovpe was sequestrator in 1663; as if a sequestrator had been a regular officer in the 
parish. A sequestrator is an officer appointed by government to seize upon certain property, 
and, who has the charge of it till some question in dispute, relative to it is decided. And when 
St. Nicholas's church was demolished, in 1647, as we hear no more of the then rector, we have a 
right to conclude, that he was dismissed, probably for participating in the treachery of Alderman 
Toplady ; nor could there be any property to sequestrate ; since, although the benefice is a 
rectory, it possesses no great tithes, there being no cultivated land in the parish, except a few plots 
of garden ground. Nor do we find that the small tithes were ever collected. The error seems to 
have arisen here — From the destruction of the church to the time of its being rebuilt, it is probable 
that the rector of St. Peter's officiated, with respect to marriages, burials, &c. and would/ of course, 
receive the dues arising therefrom ; and as such, as far as respects those duties, he ought to be set 
down as rector of this parish. Samuel Leek, or Leak, is positively named as such in both 
parishes ; and I have ventured to place John Aysthorpe in the same capacity. 

St. Peter's parish is circumstanced the same as St. Nicholas's, respecting great tithes ; and, as 
to the small ones, I cannot learn of their ever having been collected, except in the following instance,, 
the particulars of which I had from one of the parties concerned. The rector, about the year 
1793, said to one of the officers of the church, c f if you will inform me of any person who keeps 
" breeding sows in the parish, I will make it worth your while." The person replied, that he knew 
of but one, whom he named ; and, in a # day or two he let him know, that his sty would be honored 
in a short time by a tithe-pig visitant. The owner of the pigs, however, determined to prevent the 
necessity of such visit ; and he accordingly took a young pig in his arms, and contrived to make 
it move the knocker at the rector's door, who, being informed of the nature of the visit, welcomed 
the squeaking guest into the house; but, he never inquired for a tithe-pig any more; nor did he 
reward the person who had given the information. 

In St. Mary's parish the case is different: there the vicarage tithes are collected with considerable 
severity, particularly since the death of the Rev. Dr. Haines. There are also two customs pursued 
in this parish, that are said to be peculiar to it ; and which shall be related here, though one of 
them might more properly belong to another place. 

Tradition informs us, that King John, when on one of his visits to this town, called upon the 

chief magistrate, whose cellar he found destitute of ale : and that he likewise called upon the 

minister of St. Mary's, whose cupboard was destitute of bread. John, being vexed to find two 

such characters in circumstances so disagreeable, ordered, that the chief magistrate should annually 

have a certain quantity of ale given to him by every publican in the town ; and that the minister 

should have a halfpenny loaf given to him weekly by each baker in his parish. The former 

tribute is collected by one of the town serjeants, who, in lieu of sixpence worth of ale which used 

to be drank by any one he chose to give it to, now demands fourpence in money, and the liberty 

of tasting the landlord's tap. — The latter is collected by any person whom the vicar chooses to 

appoint. 

2C 



102 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ST. MICHAELs CHURCH. 

When tradition is neither supported by written document nor substantial circumstance, it should 
be most sparingly received ; but, when it is corroborated, though only by the latter, it merits some 
attention. In this situation we find the generally received opinion, of a church, dedicated to St. 
Michael, having stood between Fox-lane and St. Ann's-street ; which space is to this day, called 
St. Michael's church-yard. When the proper authorities go on their processioning excursions 
they are attended at this place by a clergyman, who reads a lesson out of the scriptures on the 
spot. And I am informed, by Mr. Joseph Crisp, on whose veracity the greatest reliance may be 
placed, that his father, who was a gardener, in the course of his digging in this place, found a great 
many human bones. These circumstances certainly combine in support of the opinion, of a 
church having stood here ; but at what period is entirely left to conjecture. Had it existed at the 
general survey, it would of course have been noticed; or if, when the town wall was erected, there 
is scarcely a doubt but it would have been encompassed on the north by that fortification. The 
probability is, if a church ever did stand here, that it was erected by some of the Mercian kings ; 
and that it was destroyed by the hostile Danes in 868, as it might be made «se of by the inhabitants 
in opposing the approach of these spoliates to the town. 

ST. JAMES s CHURCH, OR CHAPEL OF EASE. 

Various attempts were made within the last twenty years to obtain a grant for the erecting a 
chapel of ease in this town, which were regularly opposed by the incumbents of the three parishes; 
but, when Standard-hill was advertised to be sold, it being extra-parochial, and, consequently, 
without the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of the diocese, it was thought a favorable opportunity 
for the accomplishment of the object. Accordingly, the friends of the measure, bought a piece 
of ground upon this desirable spot, and then applied to parliament for authority to consummate 
their wishes. The incumbents petitioned against the bill, which was strongly opposed in the House 
of Lords ; but they failed, and, in 1807, it received the royal assent. It was not a want of room 
in the churches,-which caused a number of the adherents to the established faith to wish for a new 
church ; for, except on extraordinary occasions, there is always accommodation for many more 
persons than what attend. No, it is the discipline, and not the tenets of the establishment with 
which the members of this congregation are at variance. 

In a cavity in the foundation stone, at the south-west corner, is a brass plate, containing the 
following inscription : — " This first stone of a building, dedicated to St. James, for the public 
" worship of Almighty God, agreeably to the rites and ceremonies of the established church of 
" England, was laid by Thomas Hill, Edmund Wright, Richard Eaton, and Benjamin Maddocfc, 
" Esquires, the 27th day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1808, and the 48th year of the reign 
" of his majesty, King George the Third ; the Right Honorable and Reverend Edward Venables 
" Vernon, being Lord Archbishop of the diocese." 

In June 1809, the fabric was in such a state of forwardness as to admit of divine service being- 
performed in it, at which time it was consecrated. The building is too low, to be elegant ; yet it 



T JAMES'S CHURCH 




S-? MARY'S CHURCH, 



st. Michael's church. — st. james's chukch. — peverel court. 103 



is high enough to be comfortable for a considerable congregation ; and, to make it more so in 
winter, it is flued in various directions, for the purpose of heat being conveyed. The side aisles 
are commodiously lofted, as also is the west end of the nave. The steeple, if it deserve the name, 
is a tower, with one bell, which was cast by Hedderly, bellfounder in this town, in 1791, for the 
use of a cotton mill in Broad-marsh. The walls are of brick, cased with stone ; and the window 
and door frames are, in what is termed, the Gothic taste. 

ST. JAMES s CHAPEL. 

The first building, bearing the distinctive name of chapel, which we read of in this town, apart 
from the churches, was dedicated to St. James : it stood about sixty yards from the bottom, and on 
the south side of the street which bears the name of the saint. Probably this chapel was of Saxon 
origin, since we find no account of its erection by the Normans, and since, on the establishing of 
the Peverel Court the sittings thereof were ordered to be held therein, and which were held there 
till 1316, when Edward the Second removed this court to the County-hall, and exonerated the 
town of Nottingham from its feudal jurisdiction ; and gave the chapel to the Carmelite Friars, to 
whose convent it stood contiguous. Edward the Third, in the 4 1st of his reign, granted the honor 
of Peverel, as the high stewardship of this court is called, to William de Eland, of Basford, and 
his heirs, about which time it appears to have been removed to that village ; the high steward 
having the power of keeping it at any place within its jurisdiction. Whether it had been removed 
from Basford and taken thither again, between the years 1368 and 1791, does not appear; certain it is 
however, that this court had been kept at Basford during a long and uninterrupted series of years 
previous to the last mentioned date ; about which time, Mr. John Sands, keeper of the prison, 
opened the doors and let the prisoners out, because there was no food allowed for their support 
and because he had been legally informed, that, if one of them died of want, he would 
be liable to take his trial as a murderer. The court was then removed to Lenton ; the prisoners 
being placed under the care of Mr. Wombwell. who, in 1804, built a new coffee-house and a prison. 

The court we are speaking of is a Court of Pleas, for the recovery of small debts, and for 
damages in case of trespass : its jurisdiction extends over one hundred and seventy towns and 
villages in Nottinghamshire, one hundred and twenty in Derbyshire, and several in the counties of 
Leicester and York. At the present time, Lord Middleton is the high steward, Mr. John Balguy, 
barrister, the deputy .steward, and Mr. S. Sanders, solicitor, the prothonotary. A court is held 
every Tuesday, and the writs issued are returnable the next court day to that on which they are 
issued : and a general court, in which the high steward is supposed to preside, is held twice a year, 
which are called " The courts of trials."* 

Deering, from not being able to obtain a list of the high stewards, supposed such list to have 
been destroyed in " the civil wars;" but, by referring to Rastall's History of Southwell, and other 



* Several additions were made to the limits of the jurisdiction of this court by Charles the First and Charles the Second, in which 
Rotherhain and Sheffield were included. 



101 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



records, I have been able to make out the following list, which, I by no means, present to the 
public as complete. 

LIST OF THE HIGH STEWARDS. 

William Peverel ; Sir William Peverel, son. of the former; Ralph Paynel, one of the Empress 
Maud's captains ; The Crown ; John Earl of Morton, afterwards King John ; Robert de Vavasor; 
Hugh de Stapleford ;* William de Eland; Rowland Revel, who married an heiress of William de 
Eland ; Randal Revel, and Hugh Revel, successors of Rowland. — The Hutchinsons of Basford, a 
Collateral branch of the family of the Hutchinsons of Owthorpe ; Lord Goring, from whom the 
stewardship passed to his son Charles, Earl of Norwich ; Henry Goring next possessed it ; and 
next Charles, second son of the Earl of Norwich. It afterwards fell into the hands of Lord 
Wlgorne ; and after him into those of his sons, Charles, Lord Herbert, and Arthur, Lord Somerset. 
Queen Ann, in the 5th year of her reign, by letters patent, granted the honor of Peverel to Sir Thomas 
Willoughby (whom she afterwards created a peer of the realm, along with eleven others, to control 
a political question in the House of Lords), and his heirs for ever. From this nobleman the 
honor descended to his son, Francis Lord Middleton ; and from him to his son Francis Lord 
Middleton ; from him to his brother, Thomas, Lord Middleton ; from him to his cousin Henry ^ 
Lord Middleton ; and from him to his son Henry, the present and sixth Lord Middleton. 

Mrs. Hutchinson states, that the powers of this detestable court lay dormant a considerable time, 
previous to the appointment of Lord Goring, to the office of high steward, which is the highest 
panegyric she could pass upon the relatives of her husband ; for, it must have been a sense of the 
injustice of this court, which induced them thus to suspend its operations. Mrs. Hutchinson further 
states, that h a pragmatical babbler, of the name of Chadwick, who, by his arts, had arisen from a 
" cleaner of trenchers to a retailer in scraps of law," had the address to get the powers of this 
court revived, and himself to be constituted their prime mover. 

Shortly after the writer of these pages became a resident of Nottingham, he went with a friend, 
one morning in February, to see what havoc stern winter had made in the coffee-house gardens at 
Lenton, which had been represented to him as a kind of paradise in the summer season ; being 
unconscious, at that time, that one of the most wretched mansions of human misery stood within 
their precincts. Several robins were fluttering upon the keenly frozen snow, in quest of scattered 
crumbs ; and a blackbird, all shivering with cold, was hopping from spray to spray — the wind 
whistled, and bleak, from the north-east, the angry blast blew. — While walking in pensive 



* Of the Staplcford's little is known, they resided at the village of Stapleford for some generations, and the last male of the family dying 
without issue, his sister Margaret took the estates, &c. into the Tevery family. This family had long been seated at Long Eaton, but John 
Tevery having marred the above Margaret Stapleford, he made Stapleford his place of residence, and the family continued there until (for 
want of male heirs) the property went by marriage to the Palmes's who soon afterwards retired into Yorkshire, and disposed of the property 
here. The old mansion was sold to the Warrens and the lands to different persons. The family of Palmes still exists in Yorkshire, being 
seated at Naburne near York. 

The Elands were settled at Basford for a considerable length of time, and the family name seems to have ended in the person of Mary 
who was the daughter and heir of Thomas Eland, and who married Rowland Revel in the reign of Henry the Eighth. The estates of the Elands 
were sold to Thomas Hutchinson, Esq. of Owthorpe, who gave them to his second son John, from whom descended the Hutchinsons of 
Basford. 



PEVEREL COURT. DISSENTING CHAPELS; 105 



admiration, his ears were stricken with the sound of a human voice, the tremulous cadence of which 
bespoke the anguish of the bosom whence it came. These were the words which it uttered — 
' r God bless you master, pray relieve a poor prisoner, famishing for want of food, and trembling 
iC with cold." — A clap of thunder would not have made so deep an impression on the memory — 
death alone can remove that impression from the heart. — Hastily turning - about, a man appeared, 
peeping through a hole in a door, with a beard of four week's growth upon his face, which was 
otherwise haggard and meager — his eyeballs glaring with anxiety ; and his body sparingly clad 
in filthy rags. What ! a prison in a pleasure garden ! was the first exclamation that presented 
itself! — and pray what is your offence, my poor man? and what your means of subsistence? 
" My offence" replied the victim, " is that of running twenty-five shillings in debt, when my 
" family was nearly perishing with hunger, during last year's famine, (1795.) and which I have 
" not been able to pay ; and my means of subsistence (while, with a look which was half sarcastic 
" and half expressive of his sufferings, he pointed towards a pump,) my means of subsistence are 
•* all within that well, except a few scraps which the keeper pleases to give me, for cleaning his 
" knives and his shoes." What ! is it to be borne, that, in what is called a land of liberty, a 
human being is to be incarcerated within four walls, without bread, and without fire.* " That is 
iC all," replied the prisoner, still pointing towards the pump ; " and. as my wife and children are 
" now supported by the parish, not one of them can come near me, to chear me with a smile." 
Without calculating upon consequences, or reflecting, that his strength was inadequate to the 
performance of what the wounded feelings of the heart suggested, the narrator immediately set his 
shoulder to the door, with the hope of wresting it from its hateful hinges ; but, the unhappy man 
stopt him. by saying, "" you will only, by a vain attempt, bring yourself into trouble, and add 
" much to mine ; for, if I should obtain the keeper's displeasure, he will not give me a morsel of 
,; bread to prolong my miserable existence, till the rules of the court will permit me to leave this 
" abode of sorrow; in which case I must die of want here, and never see my disconsolate family 
" more." — A flood of tears g-ave relief to the writer's half-bursting heart — he forced the small 
contents of his pocket into the hand of the wretched sufferer, and then fled from this disgraceful 
dreg of the feudal law. If Lord Middleton's favorite dogs were once confined in this prison, his 
lordship would order the walls to be levelled with the ground ; and, O ! what honor would be 
the lot of that gentleman, who should be the cause of driving this badge of disgrace from the face 
of the earth. 

DISSENTING CHAPELS. 

Dissenters took their rise in England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, under the appellation of 
Puritans ; and many were added to their numbers in the time of James the First, in consequence 
of his establishing the Book of Canons, and from his causing the Book of Sports to be published. 



* H>-re the following passage fjrom Eeocaria's Essay presented itself to the writer's mind, and caused the above exclamation. " The 
■' degree of the punishmen', and the consequences of a crime ouuht to be so contrived as to have the greatest pussible effect on others, 
" with the l--ast possible pain to the delinquent. If there be any society in which this is nut a fundamental principle, it is au unlawful 
- society, for mankind, by their anion, originally iutcuded to subject themselves to the least evils possib'e.'' 

2 D 



106 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



The first dissenting- congregation were called together, November the 20th, 1572; and the first 
independent church was established by one Henry Jacobs, in 1616. 

The bigoted and persecuting conduct of Charles the First added many to the body of dissenters, 
particularly by his disregard of the sabbath, which was exemplified in his ordering the Book of 
Sports to be re-published, which he enjoined the clergy to read in their pulpits, under the 
forfeiture of excommunication and the loss of their benefices. He.thus added to the dissenting- interest, 
by furnishing many conscientious shepherds to guide the different, and hourly increasing- flocks. 

Though Charles the Second owed his crown to the dissenters, he sought by every means in his 
power to be their tormentor ; first by passing the Act of Uniformity, in 1662, and secondly, in 
two years after, by passing the Conventicle Act, which enacted, that every person, above sixteen 
years of age, who should be found at a religious meeting, the principles of which should be 
adjudged to be contrary to the established religion, where more than five persons were present, 
besides the household, should pay five pounds, or be imprisoned three months for the first offence ; 
double for the second ; and for the third, to be banished seven years, or pay one hundred pounds ; 
and, in case of return or escape, to suffer death, without benefit of clergy. 

The passing of the famous, or rather infamous, Oxford, or Five-mile Act, in 1665, completed 
the tyranny of Charles, and shewed the vile and persecuting spirit which governed his councils. 
This Act inflicted a penalty of forty pounds upon every dissenter who should be found preaching, 
or teaching a school within five miles of any city, town corporate, or borough, except he had 
previously taken the following oath. To wit. " I, A. B. do swear, that it is not lawful, upon any 
tf pretence whatsoever, to take arms against the king, or against those commissioned by him ; and 
" that I will not, at any time, endeavour any alteration of government in church or state." In 
consequence of this arbitrary measure., Mr. Whitelock and Mr. Reynolds were driven from their 
asylum at Colwick-hall ; and it is computed, that the dissenters, in the space of three years, were 
plundered of ten millions of property ; and that eight thousand died in prison in the course of 
this reign* 

The dissenters of this town may date their origin from the time of Charles the First ; for, as 
the inhabitants took part with the parliament, it is fair to conclude, that, a liberality in religious 
sentiments was encouraged; indeed this is evident from the handsome manner in which Whitelock 
and Reynolds were treated. But while the dissenters in general were smarting under the furious 
lash of Charles the Second, those in this town used to assemble at midnight in a vault, under where 
Mrs. Gawthorn's house now stands, at the top of Drury-hill. And, after the Act of Toleration was 
passed in the reign of William and Mary, a party assembled in a house at the north-east corner of 
Pilcher-gate. In a short time after this the 

HIGH-PA VEMEJVT CHAPEL 

was erected, which belongs to a sect, anciently known by the name of Socinians, that arose in 
Poland, from the preaching of one Faustus Socinus, who died in 1604; but they are now more 

, * Se« Palmer't History of tbe Nonconformists 



HIGH-PAVEMENT CHAPEL CASTLE-GATE CHAPEL. 107 



properly known by the appellation of Unitarians, or Antitrinitarians ; they believing in one 
God only, as the creator and preserver of all things ; and that Christ, the son of Joseph and 
Mary, was sent by God on a divine mission, to instruct mankind by his doctrine and example, both 
in life and death, in the ways of righteousness, humanity, morality, and brotherly love. They 
believe that the Holy Ghost consists in the inspiring spirit of God, through the medium of the 
scriptures : that there is no such thing as original sin, as that would import concupiscence, or 
deformity in nature ; and that man has a free will to do good and to fulfil the law. 

Deering calls them Presbyterians ; and Throsby, the copiest of all his errors, does the same. 
Presbyterians are so called, from their church government being regulated by a Synod, or 
Presbytery, consisting of elders, chosen and invested with powers for that purpose, by all, or 
certain members of the body over whom they preside. The members of the church of Scotland are 
disciples of John Knox, who was a follower of John Calvin ; and yet they are called Presbyterians, 
from a vulgar error, that the word Presbyter designates the tenets of their faith ; whereas it has no 
more to do with the definition of those tenets, than the President of the American States has to do 
with the consciences of his fellow citizens. As well might every descendant of Abraham be called 
a Theologian, because the Hebrews were once governed by a Theocracy, as to call any sect 
Presbyterians, because they are dissentients from the established church. 

This chapel was new roofed, the floor flued, the walls stuccoed, and otherwise repaired, in 1S05. 
The building is fifty-nine feet, by fifty feet,- and, though it is not the largest, it is the most majestic, 
and has the most commanding appearance of any chapel in the town. Adjoining to it, on the 
south side, are two commodious school rooms, and a small sitting-room, with every necessary 
accommodation. 

In this chapel the herculean talents of the late Rev. George Walker, (well known in the 
philosophical and political circles) long thundered forth the principles of civil and religious liberty 
— the benignity, resulting from the practice of humanity and charity — the necessity of instructing 
youth in the precepts of morality, and in the rudiments of education — while he would pour the 
balmy sweets of comfort into the hearts of his hearers, by calling upon the Father of Mercies, in 
the most emphatic strains, to secure the eternal happiness of mankind. Here the Rev. James 
Tavler, and the Rev. Joseph Hutton, now unfold the beauties of Christianity with superior 
eloquence, to one of the most respectable congregations in the town ; and illustrate its precepts 
by example. And, in viewing the free schools kept here, with what emotions of delight do we 
behold the man possessed of thousands, bending the knee to, and courting the attention of the 
orphan, in order the more forcibly to implant the rudiments of education and the precepts of 
morality in its infant and expanding mind. 

CASTLE-GATE CHAPEL. 

The congregation that attends this place of worship is very numerous ■ and many of its members 
are of high respectability, both for wealth and moral rectitude, as well as for their liberality and 
charity to the poor. The members of this church are called Calvinistic Independents, or 
Congregationalists, from their adhering to the doctrines of John Calvin ; and from their holding 



108 H1STOJIY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



it as a matter of right, that every congregation, or church, should stand independent of any other, 
respecting its own internal government. They believe in predestination and particular redemption 
—that grace is necessary to salvation — that good works are not the less necessary to render them 
objects worthy of being partakers of grace, which can only be obtained through the inspiration 
of the Holy Ghost — that the blood of Christ, the Son of God, was shed for the redemption of 
God's elect ; and that none will be refused that seek, though at the eleventh hour. 

They separated from the Unitarians on doctrinal points, about the year 1688, in which 
memorable year this chapel was built. It stands on the north side, and near the bottom of 
Castle-gate: it is a noble structure, and measures fifty-five feet by fifty-three. Adjoining to it is a 
vestry and two convenient school rooms : the inside is well lofted, and presents a commanding 
appearance. A burial ground, belonging to the society, in front of the chapel, contains many 
grave and head-stones ; and under it runs a culvert which divides St. Peter's and St. Nicholas's 
parishes. The present minister is the Rev. Richard Alliott, who possesses a fine flow of eloquence, 
and every virtue, so eminently necessary in his conspicuous situation. 

THE PARTICULAR, OR CALVINISTIC BAPTISTS, 

Have a chapel on the south side of Park-street, adjoining the yard, which belongs to Collin's 
hospital. Though the date of its erection is lost, there is little doubt but it was the third place 
built in Nottingham for the use of dissenting worship. It measures sixty feet by twenty-seven. 
There is a burying ground belonging to the congregation, lying on the west side of Mount-street, 
nearly opposite to Mount-court. The erecting of a new chapel, in George-street, was begun in 
1814, which measures sixty-three feet by fifty. Their present pastor is the Rev. John Jarman, 
whose conduct and labours as a christian minister, have rendered him highly respected by all who 
have the pleasure of his acquaintance. 

Iu 1805, a schism took place in this congregation, when a small party retired to a school room 
in Maltmill-lane. They afterwards joined a few Scotch Baptists, that had been knitting together 
about two years previous ; and now, as a united body, under the pastorship of Mr. Samuel Ward, 
they are becoming numerous, as a sect of Scotch Baptists, and have bought the above-named 
chapel in Park-street. The Scotch Baptists, embrace the calvinistic tenets ; and differ nowise 
materially from the sect of which we have just been speaking, except in church government. 

Q UAKERS. 

This peculiarly distinguished sect took their rise when Cromwell was dashing away in all the 
plenitude of power. When a bird, which was hatched in a cage, has escaped from the wiry walls 
of its prison, it takes a hasty flight — flutters its wings — hops from twig to twig, to elude the arts of 
its pursuers — it seems to contemplate on its new situation ; and occupies a considerable time in 
flying from bush to bush, as if in hopes of finding a place of greater security. And thus, when 
the combustible materials,'of which polemical opinions in religious matters are composed, had taken 
fire, men began to contemplate, that it was dangerous to rest their hopes of future happiness upon 
the dogmas of another man's creed; and that the wrath of heaven might be the wages of their 



QUAKERS. 109 



own neglect, if they lost an opportunity, which a concatination of circumstances had furnished, 
of diffusing' those tenets which the different parts of scripture presented to their several understand- 
ings. Hence it was, that so many religious sects took their rise, immediately after the mounds of 
Romish superstition and bigotry had been broken down ; and when the successful efforts in favor 
of liberty had given full vent to opinion. It has been concluded, and perhaps justly, that many 
men of late have commenced teachers of the gospel from mercenary motives ; but this cannot be 
said with truth, of the religious heroes of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; since prisons 
and poverty were frequently the reward of their labours. 

Among the worthies of that time was the celebrated George Fox, born at Fenny-Drayton, in 
Leicestershire, about the year 1624, where he preached his first sermon under a large tree, which 
was held in high veneration by his followers; and not at Drayton in Lancashire, as is falsely stated 
by some writers. It is variously stated that Fox was a shoe-maker, and a breeches-maker ; but, 
be that as it may, it is certain that he was imprisoned in Nottingham m the year 1649, for setting 
the inzcard influence of the spirit, and the plain testimony of the scriptures in opposition to the 
outward forms and explanatory ceremonies of the other preachers. Fox, however, fell into very 
good hands ; for, being committed to the keeping of John Reckless, one of the sheriffs, who took 
him to his house, where George, in the space of fourteen days' confinement, made such an 
impression on the sheriff's mind, that, at the end of that time, he absolutely preached Quakerism 
himself in the open market-place. Shortly after this, George Fox was taken before two Derbyshire 
magistrates, when, one of them, after scoffing at him, for his telling them to tremble at the word 
of the Lord, exclaimed, " Why, this man is a Quaker ;" from which flippant expression, the 
Friends, as they term themselves, obtained their distinctive appellation; and not from the trembling 
and quaking of George Fox, as has erroneously been stated and generally believed. 

By. some writers this sect have been denominated Deists, by others Socinians, while others again 
have considered them Arminians. Whether all these notions be partly correct, or wholly 
groundless, I believe few, who are not Quakers, can determine, since to keep their tenets from 
public investigation has, with them, been a studied point. But, whatever be their private 
principles, their public practice is consistent: they take good care of their own poor — refuse to 
pay levies to support the established religion — have no set preachers — are regular in their religious 
worship — persecute none for differing with them in opinion — and, are charitable to all. And to 
their eternal honor, it may be added, that if the inhabitants of the earth were all Quakers, 
political harpies would not fatten on the miseries of mankind — the world would not be one 
vast slaughter-house — the Rhine and the Danube, and indeed the vast ocean itself would not 
be incarnadined with human blood ; nor would widows and orphans have to seek their husbands 
and fathers in fields covered with gore, and mutilated trunks and scattered limbs; for swords 
would be beaten into ploughshares, and spears into pruninghooks, and nations would learn war no 
more. 

The Quakers' chapel, which stands near the north end of Spaniel-row, was built in 1737, and 
cost £337 Is. 7d They have a burying-ground near Walnuttree-lane. 

2 E 



110 HISTOKY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



JSION CHAPEL 

stands in Halifax-street, opposite to one of the Methodist chapels: it was built in 1761, and 
measures 30 feet 4 inches, by 57 feet 6 inches. It was erected by a party that split from the 
Unitarians ; but who shortly after rejoined them, at the solicitation of the Rev. George Walker. 
It was afterwards occupied by another party of Independents, but who were deprived of it about 
the year 1800. It then fell into the hands of a sect, under the pastorship of a Mr. Crockford, 
who belonged to the Calvinistic Methodists — the followers of the doctrine of George Whitfield ; 
or, as they were generally called " Lady Huntington's party." Mr. Crockford was a man of most 
vehement passions, and possessed an unconquerable independency of mind ; and, the proprietor of 
the chapel (it was private property) and he disagreeing, caused him to be discharged ; and the 
chapel remained without either pastor or congregation a considerable time; but, in 1807, the 
congregation was re-united under the ministry of the Rev. John Bryan, whose suavity of disposition 
and urbanity of manners have secured to him the approbation of a respectable class of hearers. 

THE TABERJYACLE, 

which stood between Milton-street and Mounteast-street, was built by the followers of John Wesley 
in 1762, who disposed of it to the General Baptists in 1782 ; and they sold it to a cowkeeper of 
the name of Barnes, since which it has been taken down. 

THE SANDEMANIANS 

erected a chapel in Hounds'-gate, in 1778. They owe the origin of their creed to John Glass, a 
minister of the church of Scotland, who, about the year 1728, was charged with a design of 
overturning the national faith. About the year 1755, Robert Sandeman, an elder in the church of 
Scotland (where these people are still called Glassites) took up the question of this new faith against 
a Mr. Hervey, who had written strongly against it ; and hence this sect obtained the name of 
Sandemanians. 

They maintain, that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world — that faith is neither more nor 
less than a simple assent to the divine testimony concerning Jesus Christ — and that belief in the 
scriptures is nothing more than a belief in any thing else, except what results from the divine 
authority on which they rest. Their peculiarities are — their weekly administration of the Lord's 
supper — their love-feasts, of which every member is desired to partake, and which consist in their 
dining together every Sabbath, in the interval between the morning and afternoon service — their 
kiss of charity given at their love-feasts, at the admission of members, and at other times when 
they see necessary and proper — their washing each other's feet — and that of a second marriage 
disqualifying a member from serving the office of elder. The principles of passive obedience and 
non-resistance, form with them a kind of theo-political creed. Mr. Prentice, late an opulent 
hosier, has long officiated as minister ; but age and infirmities now disqualify him for the 
task. 



METHODISTS. Ill 



METHODISTS. 

This very numerous and popular sect first held their meetings in this town, at the house of one 
James in Pelham-street, and their first preacher, independent of Mr. Wesley, was one William 
Lee, a tailor. They next assembled at the house of the late, and well-known Matthew Bagshaw, 
in Crosland-court, NarrOw-marsh, who converted his house into an occasional meeting-house, by 
breaking a hole through the chamber floor, so that his voice (for he was the principal preacher) 
could be heard in the house and chamber at the same time. This practice was pursued until the 
congregation found the means of erecting the tabernacle, as before stated ; and, in 1782, the 
Hockley chapel was erected, which measures 52 feet 9 inches by 51 feet 2 inches. 

The origin of this sect is so well-known, that a very few words on that subject shall suffice. — ■ 
They sprung up at Oxford in 1729., under a Mr. Morgan, who soon after died, when John and 
Charles V esley undertook the defence of his opinions ; and, in 1735, they were joined by the 
celebrated Whitfield. These three gentlemen, and from them their followers, obtained the name of 
Methodists from a brother student in the University observing, in consequence of the methodical 
manner in which they spent their time, that u they (meaning the fellows at the college) had got a new 
" set of Methodists among them ;" alluding to some physicians who had formerly reduced the 
practice of physic at that place, to a regular method, in opposition to the strolling and puffing 
empirics, who, in every age of the world, have infested mankind with their nostrums, as the frogs 
did the land of Egypt. 

In the year 1741, Mr. Whitfield split from the Wesleys ; he embracing the doctrine of Calvin, 
while they preferred the general part of the system taught by Arminius, who was a native of 
Leyden in Holland ; and who followed the doctrine of Beza, in opposition to that preached by 
Calvin. The following are the tenets taught by the Methodists which are extracted from a recent 
publication : — 

lstly. The fall of man ; by which it is understood, that by disobedience Adam fell from the favor 
of his Maker, into a state of condemnation ; from a state of rectitude and happiness, into a state 
of disorder and misery; and, in consequence of his fall, rendered himself liable to everlasting 
punishment. And that in consequence of the fall of Adam, all men bring a depraved nature with 
them into the world. — 2dly. Universal Redemption by Jesus Christ; and that by his death he made 
a full and perfect atonement for the sins of mankind. — 3dly. Justification by faith ; by which is 
understood, the free and full pardon of past sins, and the acceptance of our persons ; which 
blessings are obtained by faith in the mercy of God, manifested through the Lord Jesus Christ ; 
and is evidenced on the part of a sinner by good works. — 4thly. Complete or full Sanctification, by 
the Spirit of God, and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 5thly. The necessity of holding fast 
faith and good works, in wder to be saved to eternal life. 

A considerable time previous to the death of Mr. John Wesley, which happened in 1791, it had 
been foretold, by many intelligent persons, that a schism would take place among his followers, 
when his influence had ceased to operate. In 1797, these predictions were verified. Dr. Priestley, 
when speaking of the leading men among the Methodists, made the following remarks: — " Finding 
" themselves by degrees at the head of a large body of people, and in considerable power and 



112 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



'■' influence, they must not have been men, if they had not felt the love of power engrafted in such 
• a situation ; and they must have been more than men, if their subsequent conduct had not been 
'•' influenced by it." " A shrewd hint," says Evans, " that Dr. Priestley thought the Methodists 
lf had been too remiss in their attention to their liberties, which they ought to have conveyed entire 
*■' and unmutilated to posterity." 

Many petitions were presented to the Conference by the people, to which some of the ministers 
subscribed, praying- that they might have a share in the disposal of their own voluntary 
contributions, and also in the choice of those men, under whose ministry they were to sit ; and, 
that they might have the Lord's supper administered among them. These petitions were voted 
out, and the consequences are well known. The inscriptions upon two monuments in Hockley 
chapel, will save me the trouble of giving a further relation of this business. 



FIRST INSCRIPTION. 

To the Memory of 

THOMAS HANBY, 

Minister of the Gospel, 

a zealous advocate for the Lord's Supper 

among the Methodists : 

from whom bigotry and human policy 

had long withheld that privilege. 

He often called this town his home, 

and expressed a wish to end his days in it: 

after faithfully discharging the 

duties of the sacred office 43 years, 

his desire was granted by 

a release from mortality, 

on the 29th day of December, 1796, 

aged 63 years. 



SECOND INSCRIPTION, 

To the memory of 

ALEXANDER KILHAM, 

Minister of the Gospel, 

A faithful servant in the vineyard of Christ, 

A zealous defender of the rights of the people, 

against attempts to force on them 

a Priestly Domination. 

Deserted by many of his friends, 

he lived to see the cause flourish, 

in which he died a martyr. 

• In promoting the glory of God 

and the happiness of his Brethren, 

he counted nothing too dear a sacrifice : 

In the pursuit, 

ease and indulgence were despised by him. 

His last hours 

were peaceful and triumphant, 

unblemished by a moment's repentance 

for having opposed corruption in the church ; 

he blessed God, 

that he had made him instrumental in doing it, 

and only regretted 

that he had not done it more faithfully. 

Committing his soul to his Redeemer, 

he took his flight to a better world, 

December 20th, 1798, 

aged 36 years. 



Throsby says, an escutcheon, over the pulpit in this chapel, was placed there in memory of 
Lady Huntington. This is one of his gross blunders; for the hatchment was placed there in 
commemoration of the Rev. John Wesley. Probably, part of the dirt, with which Throsby so 
awkwardly attempted to bespatter a preacher in this chapel, fell in his eyes, and thereby prevented 
him discovering the truth. 



ARMINIAN BAPTISTS.--ST. MARYS-GATE CHAPEL. --UNIVERSALISTS. 1 1 



a 



The new, or Kilhamite Methodists lost a host in the death of their champion ; but they gained 
their independence and the privilege of partaking' of the Lord's supper. And the old or Weslean 
Methodists, being deprived of the chapel, redoubled their efforts for the obtainment of another ; 
which object they accomplished in 1798. It stands on the east side of Halifax-street ; and, when 
first erected, it was about the size of the old one ; but has since been enlarged, and it now measures 
84 feet 4 inches by 52 feet 10 inches, independent of a vestry and other conveniencies. 

THE GENERAL, OR ARMINIAJV BAPTISTS 

erected a chapel at the lower end of Plumptre-place, in 1799, and in front of it is a commodious 
huryiug ground. The building is 47 feet 9 inches by 47 feet 8 inches, independent of the vestry. 
The inside of the chapel possesses a neatness and simplicity of decoration, exactly corresponding 
with the manners, the habits, and the dress of the congregation. A close adherence to each other, 
wheu the clouds of adversity interpose their malignant influence, forms a prominent feature in the 
character of these people. Mr. Robert Smith is their pastor, whose powers of eloquence are far 
outshone by the mild, humane, and endearing qualities of his heart. 

ST. MARY s-GATE CHAPEL. 

The sect of Independents, previously mentioned as having lost Sion chapel, erected one on the 
west side of St. Mary's-gate, in 1801, which measures 41 feet 9 inches by 36 feet. Their minister 
is the Rev. John Green. They are, as the author has reason to understand, the followers of the 

Rev. Ingham, one of the distinguished characters who united with the Messrs. Wesley 

and Whitfield, in promoting the future happiness of mankind. Rut, they are generally considered 
Sabellians, who took their rise from Sabellius, an Egyptian philosopher, that lived in the third century. 
The Sabellians maintain, that there is but one person in the Godhead — that the word and the Holy 
Ghost are mere virtues, emanations, or functions of the Deity — that He, who is in heaven, is the 
father of all things — that He descended into the virgin, became a child, and was born of her as a 
son — and, that, having accomplished the mystery of man's salvation, He diffused himself on the 
apostles in tongues of fire. 

HEPHZIBAH CHAPEL. 

After Mr. Crockford and his followers had been deprived of Sion chapel, they found means, in 
1804, to erect a new one in Broad-lane-paddock, to which they gave the above Hebrew name, 
which, in English signifies my pleasure. But, unfortunately for Mr. Crockford, the pleasure was 
of short duration ; for his hearers neglecting to make good the necessary payments, the chapel was 
advertised, and, in March 1808, sold to the Universalists, of whom we are about to speak. 

UNIVERSALISTS. 

This sect, like the Sabellians, had their origin in the fructifying climate of the east: Origen, 
who died in the year 254, laid the foundation of their faith. St. Augustine of Hippo, who died 
in 431, when speaking of some divines, that had embraced this doctrine, calls them merciful 



114 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



doctors. From this time we hear no more of Universalism, till about the year 1500., when it was 
revived by the German Baptists, and by the Mennonites, or Dutch Baptists. In the seventeenth 
century the question was taken up in this kingdom by Dr. Rust and Jeremiah White; and since 
by Dr. Newton, bishop of Bristol, Mr. Stonehouse, rector of Islington, Mr. Elhanan Winchester, 
Dr. Hartley, Mr. Purves, &c. ; and by Dr. Chauncey, of Boston in America. They embrace the 
beauties, and cast out, 'what they term the imperfections of Calvinism, and Arminianism ; and 
believe in universal restoration. — The following- is an epitome of their arguments. 

They found their tenets upon the power, the will, the justice, and the mercy of God. They 
contend, first, as God has the power to create and make us perfect, that his not having done so is an 
act of his will ; and that to doom any portion of mankind to endless punishment, merely because 
by an act of his will, he has suffered them to sin, would make his will to spring from a principle of 
the grossest injustice ; and, consequently, would justify an opinion, that he is an unjust God — 2dly. 
That, if he has the power to save all mankind, and not the will so to do it, would destroy his 
mercy — and that, if he has the will to exercise his mercy, and not the power, it would destroy his 
omnipotence, and, consequently he ceases to be a God, except such a one as results from "the heated 
fancy of man — Sdly. That if the attribute of mercy does not consist in its exercise, the consequence, 
as far as relates to the Deity, is nothing but a name; and that this attribute, which so much endears 
the governed to the governor, and brightens up the character of the judge and the magistrate, is 
not an emanation from the Divinity, but a direct contradiction to the display of his goodness. — 
4thly. That if God delights in the endless punishment of his creatures (and if he permit it, and 
has the power to prevent it, he must either delight in it, or be regardless of their welfare) it 
destroys his justice, his love, and his mercy; and constitutes him a cruel, a merciless, and an 
inexorable tyrant. — Such are the heads of their arguments ; and their tenets are— lstly. That 
Christ died to make atonement for the sins of all mankind, and likewise for those of the fallen 
angels — 2ndly. That God's justice and mercy have no allay — 3dly. That God's elect are those 
whose sins are forgiven before death, and whose souls are translated from earth to heaven, 
immediately on the demise of their respective bodies — And, 4thly. That, those who die in sin will 
have punishment inflicted hereafter, corresponding with the number and magnitude of their crimes 
in this life ; after which they will be restored to divine favor. 

. In 1806, this sect converted a building in Plumptre-street into a chapel, to which they gave the 
name of Bethel chapel, or the house of God ; but poverty soon scattered their congregation, and, 
they continued in that state, till the dissolution of Mr. Crockford's party, as stated above. The 
same prying enemy to human happiness brought upon them a second dissolution ; and they are 
now extinct,except the remains of another party of the same sect, which sprung up in 1804, and 
now hold their Meetings in Clare-street, headed by Mr. J. Fisher, better known as Doctor Fisher, 
from his being a compounder and vender of nostrums. 

Bethel chapel is now called Providence chapel ; and is occupied by an inconsiderable party of 
Huntingtonians, without a regular preacher, they being adherents to the tenets of the late William 
Huntington, of coal-heaving celebriety. 






ROMAN CATHOLICS. FREE-SCHOOL, IN STONE Y-STREET. 115 



THE ROMAJY CA THOLICS 

have a chapel at the west end of King's-place, Stoney-street, where they enjoy, as they ought to do., 

their faith and prejudices in peace. 

What various notions, different men embrace, 
Of justice, mercy, love, and faith, and grace ; 
Yet all unite in one important end — 
Each hopes in heaven to find himself and friend. 

%* As a gross error found its way into the 40th page, respecting the meridian of the town, the 
author takes this opportunity of correcting it, by giving the following statement : — The latitude 
of the Exchange, at Nottingham, is 52 degrees, 59 minutes, 35 seconds, north ; longitude, west of 
St. Paul's 1 degree and 7 minutes, or in time 4 minutes and 28 seconds difference of the meridian ; 
and west of Greenwich observatory 1 degree, 12 minutes and 47 seconds, orin time 4 minutes and 
51 seconds difference of meridian. 



CHAPTER V. 

SCHOOLS AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS. 



Man, without education, would be little better than the beast in the field : he would learn 
hospitality from interest ; and the means of procuring food and raiment from necessity ; but, to 
the noble qualities which exalt the soul, and harmonize the mind, he would be a stranger. The 

infant mind may be compared to an unprinted bookleaf after leaf becomes unfolded, and 

receives impressions from the instinctive powers of perceptibility ; but, when wrong impressions 
are made, difficult is the task to eradicate them. In this state of the mind, notions too often become 
implanted, that might constitutes right; from which we may infer, that every moral lesson taught a 
child (and all education should be accompanied with moral precepts) is the preventive of a crime. 
From this view of the case, what consolation must arise in the breast of him, who volunteers his 
time and talents to instruct the children of poverty ! 

FREE-SCHOOL, IN STONE Y-STREET. 

We cannot better illustrate the intent of this institution, than by giving a copy of the foundation 
deed, which is as follows : — 

" To all christian people, to whose knowledge this present writing triplicate indented shall come 
" to be seen or read, Agnes Mellers, widow and vowess, sendeth greeting, in him that is the root 
" of Jesse, produced to the salvation of all people. 



116 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" Whereas the most excellent and famous prince King Henry the Eighth, of his right blessed 
■ disposition,, and mere mercy, by his letters patent sealed under his great seal, has licensed, 
' authorized, and granted, to his well-beloved counsellor Thomas Lovel, Knight, treasurer of his 
' most honorable household, and me the said Agnes, and our executors, and to every one of us, 
' licence, power, and authority, to begin, found, and erect, unite, create, and establish, one free- 

* school, of one schoolmaster and one usher, perpetually to be kept in the parish of our lady in 
k the town of Nottingham, for evermore to endure after the ordering, institution, and will of us, the 
' said Thomas and the said Agnes, or one of us, our executors or assignees, or the executors of 
' either of us hereafter to be made, and further things, as in the same letters patent more plainly 
' appearcth. 

" Know ye, that I, remembering how the universal faith catholic by clergy and commons most 
'firmly corroborated,, and by learning the public weal commonly is governed, ardently have 
' designed to the honor of Almighty God, laud and praise to the elect and chosen mother of mercy 
' and virgin, our lady St. Mary, to accomplish the said virtuous and blessed grant, and by force 
' thereof, begin, erect, found, create, establish, and make one free-school, of one master and one 
' usher, to teach grammar everlastingly to endure, and to be kept in the parish of our blessed lady 
■' St. Mary the virgin, within the town of Nottingham, willing, ordaining, and establishing, that 

• the said school be evermore called the free-school of the town of Nottingham. And John Smith, 
' parson, of Bilborough, I make schoolmaster of the same, as long as it shall seem to me and the 
1 mayor of the said town of Nottingham for the time being convenient. And to my right trusty 
' friends Mr. William English and William Barwell, I make deputies, and ordain guardians, 
' keepers, and surveyors of the said free-school during their lives : I will also, ordain and establish, 
' that the mayor, aldermen, and common council of the said town of Nottingham and their 
' successors, after the decease of the said Williams, shall yearly, from year to year, on the feast of 
' tine translation of St. Richard, the bishop, choose two discreet persons, burgesses, to be 
' chamberlains, guardiaus, keepers, and surveyors of the lands and tenements and possessions, 
' pertaining and bequeathed, given, or hereafter to be given and bequeathed and belonging to the 
' said free-school, to rule, govern, and support, the charges, payments, and business of the same, 
' from the same feast of translation, to the said feast of St. Richard next following, at which feast, 
' or within eight days then next following, I will that the said guardians, now by me named, or 
'■ hereafter to be named, made and elected, shall make account to the said mayor and aldermen, 
' and their successors, of all things by them received or taken to the use of the said foundation, 
' and after their accounts so made and finished, new guardians, or else the same, by the advice and 
' discretion of the said mayor and alderman to be elected and chosen, and that the same guardians, 
' keepers, and surveyors, by the name of the guardians of the free-school of Nottingham may 
' plead and be impleaded before all judges of every court, and also writs and actions maintain 

' and have. Moreover, I will that the said mayor, aldermen, and common council of the said 
' town of Nottingham, with the guardians, that now be of the said school, or hereafter shall be, 
' or ei«-ht of them at the least, whereof the mayor and guardians of the same free-school, I will, 
' shall be three, after the decease of the said Mr. John Smith, parson, of Bilborough, or after 



FEEE-SCHOOL, IN STONEY-STEEET. II? 



P such time as it shall fortune that the said Mr. John Smith, shall leave or be removed from the said 
" office of schoolmaster, shall conduct and hire one other able person of good and honest 
u conversation, to be schoolmaster of the said free-school, and one usher, at such time, and as soon 
rf as the lands and possessions given to the said free-school, will support the charge thereof, and 
" the same schoolmaster and usher, for good and reasonable causes, or either of them, to amove 
" and expel, and others in his or their stead, to take, retain, and put in, from time to time, as often 
ci and when they shall think requisite and necessary. 

" And furthermore, I will and ordain, that the schoolmaster for the time being, and his usher, 
" or one of them, shall daily, when he keeps school, cause the scholars every morning in their 
" school-house, ere they begin their learning, to say, with an high voice the whole credo in deum 
" patrem, 8$c. 

" Also, I ordain and establish, that the guardians of the said free-school for the time being 
" and their sucessors, shall yearly on the feast of the translation of St. Richard, which is the 16th 
" of June, keep or cause to be kept and done solemnly in the church of St. Mary in Nottingham, 
'• the Obiit of the said Agnes Mellers, my husband's and mine after my decease, and give, pay 
" and expend, of the rents, issues, and profits, given and bequeathed, pertaining and belonging- 
" to the said free-school, for our souls' health, 20s. in form following : — that is to say, to the vicar 
" of the said church, personally being present, from the beginning of the dirge and mass of 
" the same Obiit, to the ending thereof, for his attendance, and for his lights at that time burning 
* 3s. and if he occupy by deputy, then to have but 2s.; and to every priest of the same church. 
" and either of the clerks of the said parish, there also being for such like time 4d. and also to the 
" mayor of the town of Nottingham, for the time, being personally present at the beginning and 
" ending of the same mass and dirge 6d. and to every alderman of the same town, there also being 
" present for such like time 4d., and the mayor's clerk and his two Serjeants being and attending 
" on their master and aldermen at the beginning of the said mass and dirge, and and for serving 
" such things as shall be prepared for them at the Obiit, to each of them 2d., and to the parish 
" clerks for the great bells ringing eight peals, and after the accustomable length, 3s. ; and the 
" said guardians shall retain and keep in their own hands, for either of them for their own use — 
" for their business and attendance, in providing bread, ale, and cheese, and towels, cups, pots, 
" and necessary things at the said Obiit ; and there shall be expended in bread, to be sent to the 
f; aldermen, &c. according to the custom in the church 2s. in cheese 8d. in ale 16d., and the residue 
" remaining over this mine ordinance and will performed, if any be left, I will shall be distributed 
" to the poorest scholars of the said free-school, to pray for our souls and all of our friends. 

" I will also, ordain and establish and strictly enjoin, that the schoolmaster and usher, nor any 
<f of them, have, make, nor use, any potations, cockfighting, nor drinking with his or their wife or 
" wives, hostess or hostesses, but once or twice in the year, nor take any other gifts or vails, 
■' whereby the scholars or their friends shall be charged, but at the pleasure of the friends of the 
" scholars — wages to be paid by the said guardians. 

'' And here if it fortune the said mayor, aldermen, and common council, to be negligent and 
tr forgetful in finding and choosing of the schoolmaster and usher, forty days next after such time 

2G 



118 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" as it shall fortune him to be amoved, or deceased, keeping- and doing the Ohiit yearly, in manner 
'* and form above expressed in such like time; or the lands and tenements or hereditaments, and 
" other possessions, or the yearly rent of them into other uses than finding- of the said free-school, 
" to convert ; then I will, ordain, and establish, that the prior and convent of the monastery of the 
" Holy Trinity of Lenton, for the time being-, and their successors, shall have as a forfeiture, the 
" rule guiding and oversight of the said lands, tenements, or hereditaments, &c. schoolmaster 
" with all other things to the premises in anywise appertaining, to the intent above expressed, in 
" as ample and large-wise as the mayor and burgesses have or should have had the same, by this 
" my present constitution and ordinance. 

" Also, I do ordain, and establish, that the ordinances, statutes, and establishments, and 
" constitutions, for the good governance and rule of the said free-school, by me made in my life, 
'-' under my seal, by me determined, everlastingly to be kept, and each one of them steadfastly 
" shall be holden, observed, and kept for ever, without any diminution or abridgment, or changing- 
" of them or any of them anywise, and that it shall be lawful to the said mayor, aldermen, and 
1 common council, and their successors at all times hereafter, from time to time, at their liberty, 
tt other constitutions, statutes, and ordinances, for the good governance and continuance of the said 
" free-school to make, them or part of them by their discretion to repeal, and admit at their 
" pleasures as often and whensoever they shall think it most necessary and convenient, so that such 
" constitutions, statutes, and ordinances, of new to be made, nor any of them, be in anywise 
" contrary or repugnant to the statutes, and establishments, and ordinances by me, in my life, 
" under my seal, made, written and determined. In witness whereof, &c. &c. November the 22d, 
" the 4th of King Henry the Eighth, 1513." 

Richard Mellers, husband of the foundress, was a belfounder in this town, by which business he 
acquired a competent fortune. Robert Mellers, who succeeded his father in the business, became 
a benefactor to this school, for, by his will, bearing date July 16th, 1515, he bequeathed to it a 
close in Basford, in a place called the wong, and a house on the west side of bridlesmith-gate, 
which is the fifth distinct house, though now the sixth tenement, from the top of Peter-gate. 
Thomas Mellers, brother to the last testator, by his will dated the 16th August, 1535, left as 
follows :— «■ -" Item. I bequeath and give all my lands, tenements, and hereditaments, in the town 
" and fields of Rasford in the county of Nottingham, to the use of the free-school lately founded 
" in the said town of Nottingham by dame Agnes Mellers, my mother, deceased, for ever." 
The former of these gentlemen represented Nottingham in parliament, and the latter was mayor 
of the town. 

Three tenements, situate in Blackfriars, London, were left by John Wast, brewer of that city, 
for the benefit of this institution ; but which, along with the property at Rasford, left by the 
foundress's two sons, were sold by the Corporation to support a law suit against Richard Johnson, 
master of the school, sometime between the years 1702, and 1720.* 



* Such is the potter invested in trustees to public institutions, that they can sell a part ef the property to enable them to retain, and 
properly apply the rest. This might be a caution to the freemen of any city or borough, not to harrass corporate bodies with vexatious 
law-suits, as the mischief must inevitably fall upt>n themselves or their posterity. 



.i 



FREE-SCHOOL, IN STONEJ-STREET. 119 



John .Hesky, alderman,, by his will of the 29th of September, 1558, gave the property of the 
tithes in Nottingham fields and meadows., in trust to the Corporation, for the use of this school; 
as also a house in Carlton -street, save and except that ten shillings, part of such income, should 
be distributed to the poor on the annual Obiit of the foundress. 

John Parker, alderman, by his will bearing date the 26th of October, 1693, left the means of 
furnishing a library to this school.- The alderman had lent the Corporation an hundred pounds, 
for which he held Butcher's-close on lease, which lease, at the date of the will, had twelve years to 
run. Testator directed Thomas Trigg, James Farewell, and John Rickards, trustees to his will, 
to let the interest of this hundred pounds remain with the Corporation during the twelve years, 
at the end of which time the principal and interest united to be applied to the purchasing of as 
much laud as should produce twenty pounds annual rent ; or, in default of such money not being- 
sufficient for the purpose, the residue to be supplied out of the proceeds of his other estates.* 
This sum was to be appropriated to charitable purposes, such as twenty shillings a year to the 
vicar of St. Mary's for preaching a sermon on christian love and charity on Easter-eve; twenty 
shillings to be given in bread to the poor the same day ; the same sum to the town clerk of 
Nottingham for keeping- the account of its expenditure ; and nine pounds every other year for the 
putting three poor boys apprentice, at the discretion of the Corporation, with three pounds to be 
paid to each boy when out of his time, providing- he conducted himself properly during his 
apprenticeship. The will then proceeds : — "■ And that my said trustees- for the time being, shall 
" employ and bestow ten pounds, part of the second year's rents and profits of the said lands 
" in the purchasing of books, such as they shall think fit, for the first founding and beginning 
" of a library for the use and benefit of the master and scholars of the free-school in Nottingham ; 
" and so alternately to the end of eight years — nine pounds a year to put out apprentices, 
'-' and ten pounds to buy books." The will further states, " if any apprentice should die or 
" miscarry in his apprenticeship, his three pounds to buy books for the free-school." And again, 
" the books to be so bought to be lettered outside, J. Parker and a catalogue thereof kept by the 
" town clerk." The first purchase made for this library was in 1707, when twelve books were 
bought; in 1709, seven more; in 1711, twelve ; in 1713, four ; in 1723, an atlas was bought; 
in 1727, eight books were added ; in 1736, a pair of globes were bought, but they were taken 
away by alderman Worthington sometime about the year 1799, and as they were in his possession 
when he died, they were seized upon by his executors and therefore lost to the school; but another 
pair have been substituted. In 1738, twenty-four books were added ; in 1745, two ; in 1748, 
twelve ; in 1758, twelve, which consisted of Rollin's Ancient History; in 1766, nineteen ; in 1767, 

sixteen; in , seven; and, in 1810, Alderman Ashwell being school-warden, he added 

twenty-nine, which, with the exception of Rollin's History, constitute near the whole value of the 
libra ry.f 

Four small closes, which lie between Trough-close and Free-school-lane, north of the town, belong 



* The property from whence these charities arise, lies at Harby, in Leicestershire, and is held by a person of the name of Orson, 
f Richard Sterne, ereatsd Archfciskop of York, by Charles the Second, received his early education at this school. 



120 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



to this institution, as do several houses at the south end of Broad-lane, and others in St. Peter's-gate 
and Pcter's-church-yard, &c. 

The benevolent intentions of the donors to this institution were long frustrated, by nothing- 
being taught in the school but the dead languages ; for those persons who could afford to give their 
children an English education, sufficient to qualify them for a course of learning in the dead 
languages, generally sent them to the regular academies ; and those who could not do this, either 
wanted the means or the inclination to obtain admission for their offspring ; therefore the offices of 
master and usher were similar to that of keeper of the king's hawks — they were truly sinecures ; 
but, as may be seen by the following order of common hall, the evil is removed ; nor is the 
benefaction any longer confined to the children of burgesses. 

" TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM, TO WIT 

" At a common hall, or meeting of the mayor and common council in and for the said town, on 
" Tuesday the 17th of February, 1807. 

c - In pursuance of the power and authority committed to us, the mayor, aldermen, and common 
" council of the town of Nottingham, by the deed of foundation of Agnes Mellers, widow, 
" foundress of the free-school, of the said town, we do (in addition to the regulations contained in 
" the said deed of foundation) order and establish the following ordinances and constitution for the 
" future governance and continuance of the said free-school, hereby repealing any constitution, 
*' statutes, or ordinances heretofore made by the mayor, aldermen, and common council of the said 
" town of Nottingham, which may be in anywise contradictory or repugnant to the present 
" ordinances, or any of them. 

" 1st. We do ordain, that for the future the said free-school, shall be kept open for the whole 
" year, except two vacations of a calendar month each, at Christmas and Midsummer, in every 
f( year, for the reception of scholars entitled to be taught thereat, to be admitted by the school wardens, 
" according to the form and in the manner hereafter described, during seven hours and a half in 
ie every day in the summer half year, reckoning the same from Lady-day till Michaelmas, and six 
<c hours in every day in the winter half year, reckoning the same from Michaelmas till Lady-day, 
" (except Sundays and the following holidays ; viz. two days at Easter, two days at Whitsuntide, 
" two days at Goose Fair, Good Friday, and half-a-day's holiday on the afternoon of Saturday, 
•" and a holiday of one hour in the afternoon of every Wednesday,) for the teaching of Greek and 
" Latin, and English grammar, and the classics, so that every scholar admitted be the age of eight 
n years at the least, and so that no more than the number of sixty scholars be admitted upon the 
" foundation at any one period of time. 

"Sndly. That all persons entitled to claim admission upon the foundation of the school, 
" from the mayor and burgesses, shall apply by a written application to the mayor for the time 
"being, who shall give in the names of the applicants to the common-hall, who shall order their 
" admission, as far as the school shall be capable of receiving them ; and upon a list of the persons 
" admitted, certified under the hand of the town clerk, the schoolwardens of the said free-school for 
"the time being, shall give in an order for their admission upon the foundation, which shall entitle 
'-' them to be educated in English, Latin, and Greek grammar, at the sail school, gratis. 



FREE-SCHOOL, IN STONEY-STREET. 



121 



" Sdly. The Schoolwardens for the time being shall, upon the application of any person or 
ft persons, entitled to be admitted to the said free-school, by virtue of such determination of the 
' r corporation, certified by the town-clerk, to the schoolwardens, give to such person or persons, so 
M entitled, an order or orders in Avriting to the master or usher of the said free-school, to receive him or 
" them as a scholar or scholars upon the foundation : and by virtue of 6uch order, he or they shall 
" be entitled to all the privileges of the school, so long as he or they shall conform to the discipline 
" thereof, established by the master, without paying any thing by way of fee, reward, or gratuity, to 
"the master or usher in respect thereof ; but the said master or usher shall not be obliged to 
'* receive any person, not producing a written order for that purpose from the schoolwardens for 
" the time being. 

" 4thly. That the mayor, aldermen, and common council of Nottingham, being visitors of this 
" free-school, do hereby ordain and establish, with a view to the regular and punctual performance 
" of their duty as visitors, that the mayor, aldermen, and schoolwardens for the time being, shall, 
" from time to time, inspect the free-school, and report at least once in every half year, in writing 
" to the common hall, the number of scholars, which, during the preceding half year, have been 
" educated upon the foundation of the school, and their opinion of the general conduct and 
" management, and state of the discipline thereof, in order that the visitors may be regularly 
" informed as to the existing situation of the school, and may from time to time be enabled to 

' bestow annual gratuities in proportion to the number of the scholars, and the exertions of the 
" master and usher, and the corresponding prosperity of the school, to the end that due 
" encouragement may be given to the industry of the master and usher, and that the said school 

' may be rendered of the greatest possible utility, according to the design of the foundation. 

5thly. That these ordinances be made known to the master and usher of the free-school, who 
" are enjoined to an observance thereof; and that any wilful neglect thereof in such master or 

' usher, or either of them, be deemed by the mayor, aldermen, and common council, a sufficient 
" cause of a motion of the said master or usher from their respective offices, pursuant to the power 
" vested in the mayor, aldermen, and common council, by the foundation of the said school." 

N. B. By advice of the Corporation, the master provides proper persons to teach the boys 
writing and arithmetic, for which the friends of the scholar pay ten shillings a year ; the 
schoolwardens providing all the requisite materials. 

From the death of the Rev. John Smith, no list of the masters was kept till the year 1626; 
and no list of ushers was kept till the year 1669. 

LIST OF THE MASTERS. 

The Rev. John Smith 



1626 The Rev. 



Tibbalds 



1630 The Rev. Thomas Leek 
1G41 The Rev. Balston 

1663 The Rev. Henry Pits 

1664 The Rev. Samuel Birch 

1673 The Rev. Jeremiah Chudworth 
1690 The Rev. Gawen Knight 



LIST OF THE USHERS. 

1669 The Rev. William Bradshaw 

1672 The Rev. Vroyne 

1681 The Rev. John Littlefcare 
1686 The Rev. Samuel Birch 

1708 The Rev. John Lamb 

1709 The Rev. John Clarke 
1709 The Rev. John Peake 
1714 The Rev. George Bettinson 



*H. 



122 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



List of the Masters continued. 

1692 The Rev. Edward Griffith 
1707 The Rev. Richard Johnson* 

1718 The Rev. William Smcaton 

1719 The Rev. William Saunders 

1720 The Rev. Woamack 

1722 The Rev. John Swaile 
1731 The Rev. John Henson 
1758 The Rev. Timothy Wylde 
1793 The Rev. John Forrest 
1807 The Rev. John Toplis, B. D, 



List of the Ushers continued. 

1724 The Rev. John Henson 
1732 The Rev. George Wayte 
1747 The Rev. Thomas Nixon 
1758 The Rev. Francis Henson 
1766 The Rev. Samuel Berdmore 

The Rev. William Fell 

The Rev. William Anderson 

1789 The Rev. Leonard Chapman 

1790 Robert Wood, D. D. 



The school has undergone considerable repairs at sundry times since its erection, particularly 
in the years 1689, 1708, and 1792. The house adjoining it, which is set apart for the use of the 
master, is commodious, and in a good state of repair. 

On the north side of the High-pavement, and facing the top of Charity-school-hill, stands 

THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL. 

Upon a brass plate, which was found under the front steps, when they were removed in 1804, i* 
the following inscription : — " Nottingham Charity School, founded in 1706, and supported by the 
" contributions of the Corporation and others, was, in 1723, removed to this building, which was 
" erected for the use of, and benefit of such school, at the charge of many benefactors, in and 
" nigh this town, upon a piece of ground given by Mr. William Thorpe for that purpose." 

Mr. Thorpe was an attorney-at-law, as was likewise Mr. Thomas Saunderson, who, in a few 
years after the school was erected, left a legacy of forty shillings a year towards its support. In 
1805, the school was new roofed, and the front was stuccoed ; but the statues, which represent a 
boy and a girl in their school costume, still remain in the niches. — The following rules and orders, 
published in 1793, for the use of the trustees, master, &c. will sufficiently explain the nature of 
this institution. 

" RULES AND ORDERS. 

" 1st. That eighty be the number of children to be admitted into the school, to be clothed, 
■" whereof sixty to be boys and twenty girls ; who are to be chosen between the age of eight andi 
" eleven, and continue at school a year at the least ; otherwise to be stript of their clothes. That 
" forty to be chosen out of the parish of St. Mary, and twenty out of the other two parishes of St. 
" Peter and St. Nicholas ; and as the subscriptions to this charity increase, the number of children 
" to be advanced in that proportion. 



* The Corporation brought an action against this man to remove him for incapacity; but, previous to its being brought into court, he- 
obtained all the aldermen's signatures to a paper, expressive of his capability to teach a school, under pretence of obtainiig another 
school, professing himself conscious that he must lose his situation as master of the free-school ; but he cunningly presented this paper in 
court as evidence of his capability ; and the Corporation thereby lost the suit. In the course of the trial, one of the counsel, who was 
employed by the Corporation, said to Johnson, who was esteemed of unsound mind, " Mr. Johnson, I think I may say t« you, as Festut 
w said to St. Paul, — too much learning has made thee mad!" To which Johnson immediately replied, " truly, Sir, but, if you should go 
*>. mad, no one will say the tame of your This brought such a peal of laughter upon the counsel as caused him to sit down in peace. 



THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL. 123 



" 2dly. That each of the said boys have every year, one coat, one waistcoat, one pair of breeches, 
" two shirts, two pairs of shoes, two pairs of stockings, two bands, one round bonnet, tuft and 
" string, and two pairs of buckles. And each girl, one gown and petticoat, two shifts, two aprons, 
" two pairs of shoes, two pairs of stockings, two caps, one riband, two tippets, and two pairs of 
'* buckles, given them yearly, in May, or at such other times as the trustees think proper. 

" Sdly. That the said boys shall wear their coats, bands, stockings, and bonnets, — and the girls 
" their gowns and petticoats, caps and tippets every day, so as the trustees and other benefactors 
" may know them, and see what their behaviour is abroad. 

" 4thly. That in the election of children, regard shall be first and principally had to orphans, — 
4f and in the next place, to such as have most children and least to maintain them with, so as strict 
!' care be taken that none be admitted but those who are real objects of charity, and not any who 
" are chargeable to the parish, or whose parents receive relief therefrom ; and that the choice be 
rt always impartially made, without respect to friends or interest. 

" 5thly. That no children shall be admitted but such as are healthy and strong, and free from 
" any contagious distemper : and, to prevent being imposed on, the trustees shall carefully view 
" and examine each child before his or her admission. 

" 6thly. The master shall constantly attend his proper business in the school every year, from 
" seven to eleven in the morning, and from one to five in the evening, betwixt the first day of 
(< March, and the last of September inclusive ; and from eight to eleven in the morning, and from 
" one to four in the afternoon, betwixt the first day of October, and the last of February inclusive. 
" And the mistress shall give due attendance to perform her part. And that the children may be 
" speedily improved, they shall not be permitted to break up above three times in the year,— at the 
" three great festivals, viz. Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide,— and that for no longer time than 
" other petty schools. 

" 7thly. The master and mistress shall every day carefully observe,— that every child come into 
" the school clean washed and combed ; and that their clothes be neat and whole ; and that they 
'•' do not tear or abuse their books ; and likewise that they do not loiter or play the truant, but 
" constantly and exactly (if well) be at school at the hours and times above appointed. And the 
" master shall keep a monthly journal or table of the children's absence, neglects, or faults, to be 
" laid before the trustees at their meetings, in order to redress the same. And, for his more 
" exactness herein, the childrens' names shall be called over in the school every morning and 
" afternoon, half an hour after the time appointed for their coming, and the transgressors marked 
" in the fault bill, whether absent or tardy. 

" 8thly. This school being only intended for the benefit of such poor children whose parents* or 
" friends are not able to give them learning, the master or mistress shall not receive or demand any 
u money, or other gratification of the childrens' friends, at their entrance or breaking up, or upon 
" any other pretence whatsoever : neither shall the master or mistress teach any other children 
' besides the poor children belonging to this school ; but shall content themselves with their 
n salaries, upon pain of forfeiting their places. 

" 9thly. The master shall teach the children the true spelling of words, and distinction of 



]24 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" syllables, with the points and stops which are necessary to true reading. They shall also be 
" taught to write a fair legible hand, and the rudiments of practical arithmetic, viz. the first five 
" rules. And the mistress shall teach the girls to mend their own clothes, work plain work, and to 
" knit. And both boys and girls shall be taught to sing psalms, and a mannerly behaviour towards 
" all persons : all which, being duly performed, will the better fit them for service or apprenticeships. 

" lOthly. That the principal design of this school may be effectually answered, which is, — to 
" train up poor children in the knowledge of God and religion, as taught in the church of England, 
" the master and mistress shall instruct the scholars in the principles of the christian religion, as 
* laid down in the church catechism, which they shall be taught first to pronounce distinctly and 
" plainly^, and then, for their better understanding thereof, in order to practice, the master shall 
" explain it to them, by the help of Lewis's or other proper Exposition : and this shall be done, 
" at least, twice a week. The master shall also bring and accompany the children to St. Mary's 
" church every Lord's-day. morning and afternoon, to hear divine service and sermon ; and every 
•' Holy-day, Wednesday, and Friday, to prayers, once in the day, at least; and shall teach them 
" to behave themselves with all reverence while they are in the house of God ; and duly to make 
" their reponses, kneel, and to join in the other public services of the church : for which ends 
" they are always to have their Bibles and Common Prayer-books with them. 

" llthly. The master and mistress shall take special care of the manners and behaviour of the 
" children, seriously endeavouring, by all means, to impress the principles of the fear of God, of 
" christian truth, justice, integrity, patience, temperance, and all good morals, on their hearts and 
" consciences ; and to discourage and root out the very beginnings of vice, particularly lying, 
" swearing, cursing, stealing, taking God's name in vain, profanation of the Sabbath-day, idleness, 
" disobedience to parents or superiors, or the like, not only by corporeal correction, but, at the 
" same time reminding them of the due reverence and love of God, the honor of his name, word 
" and day ; times, persons, and places ; with a lively faith and hope in the blessed Son and Spirit: 
" and that they are to live in love, peace, and friendship one amongst another, and to avoid bad 
" words^ quarrelling, and revenge, 

* Esthly. The master and mistress shall use prayer every evening in the school, immediately 
" before the children are dismissed ; and shall teach and direct the children to say their private 
kf prayers when they go to bed and rise. 

iC ISthly. The master or mistress shall give to the children some exercise every Saturday night, 
" and eve of an Holy-day, either to get part of a psalm, or practical chapter in the Old or New 
" Testament, or collect, by art, or write it down, or else a sum or question in arithmetic ; by which 
" means they may employ their minds at vacant hours. 

" l4thly. That for the satisfaction of all the present contributors, and encourage other persons 
« to become so, there shall be an annual public examination of the children, in the several parish 
" churches of St. Mary, St. Peter, and St. Nicholas, before the trustees, subscribers, and what other 
ft persons think fit to be present; whereby it may be known how they improve in learning and 
" knowledge. 

" 15thly. That to encourage parents to suffer their children, after they are cliosen, to continue 



THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL. 



125 



"in the school till they are duly qualified to leave the same, and for the better bringing up of boys 
" to mechanical trades, it is agreed by the trustees, — that such children as quit the school with the 
'' approbation of the said trustees, testified by some memorandum entered in their book, at any of 
" their public meetings, shall take their bibles along with them ; and also, — that the treasurer for 
" the time being, shall pay to the respective master to whom every such boy shall be bound 
" apprentice, with such approbation so testified, the sum of five guineas, towards putting him out, 
" to be paid by five annual and equal payments : — and every girl that has continued her full time 
'' in the school, and behaved to the satisfaction of the trustees, shall, at her leaving the school, have 
" two guineas expended in such clothes for her as the trustees shall think proper." 
The Master to be chosen fur this School to he 

" 1st. A member of the Church of England, of a sober life and conversation, and not under the 
" age of twenty-five years. 

n 2dly. One that frequents the Holy Communion. 

" 3dly. One that hath a good government of himself and passions. 

" 4thly. One of a meek temper and humble behaviour. 

" 5thly. One of a good genius for teaching. 

" 6thly. One who understands well the grounds and principles of the Christian Religion, and is 
" able to give a good account thereof to the minister of the parish, or ordinary, on examination. 

" Tthly. One that writes a good hand, and who understands the grounds of arithmetic. 

" Sthly. One who keeps good order in his family. 

f 9thly. One who is approved by the minister of the parish, (being a subscriber,) before he be 
" presented to be licenced by the ordinary." 

The following orders shall be read to the parents, on the admittance of their children 
into the said Charity School, and be duly observed. 

" 1st. That the parents constantly send their children to school at the school hours, and keep 
" them at home on no pretence whatever, except in case of sickness, and then they shall give 
<c information thereof to the master. 

" 2dly. That they send their children clean washed and combed, with their clothes neat and whole. 

" 3dly. That they correct their children for such faults as they commit at home, or inform their 
"- master of them ; whereby the whole behaviour of their children may be the better ordered. 

<! 4thly. That, as the subscribers to this school will take due care that the children shall suffer no 
" injuries by their master's correction, (which is only designed for their good,) the parents shall 
" freely submit to their children undergoing the discipline of the school, when guilty of any fault, 
*' and forbear coming there on such occasions ; so that the children may not be countenanced in 
" their faults, nor the master or mistress interrupted or discouraged in the performance of their 
" duty. — But if they shall have any great matter of complaint against the master or mistress, they 
*•* shall acquaint the trustees thereof, at the public meetings. 

" 5thly. That they set them good examples, and keep them in good order, when at home. 

" 6thly. That this school may not only serve for the instruction and benefit of the children, but 
" also of their parents, particularly of such as cannot read ; they, for their own sakes as well as 

2 I 



126 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 






V their children's, are frequently to call on them, at home, to repeat their catechism, and read the 
" holy scriptures, especially on the Lord's day ; and to use prayer, morning and evening, in their 
w families : so that all may be the better informed of their duty, and, by a constant and sincere 
" practice thereof, procure the blessings of God upon them. 

" 7thly. That the parents set or hang this table of orders in some visible and convenient place 
" in their houses, and keep it from being torn, defaced, or destroyed, as long as they can. 

" 8thly. If the parents do not observe the said orders, their children are to be dismissed the 
" school, and to forfeit their school clothes. 

" N. B. These orders extend to those that have the care of orphans, as well as to parents. 

" %* For the better observing these rules and orders, it is agreed, — that they shall be hung up 
" in a frame in some convenient place in the school, and in the room where the trustees usually 
" meet ; and, — that the trustees and childrens' parents, or persons with whom they lodge, have 
<c each of them a copy hereof." 

" For ye have the poor with you always ; and whensoever ye will, ye may do them good, 1 ' — St. Mark, c. xiy. v. 7. 

Without wishing, in the smallest degree, to impeach the purity of intention, with which these 
rules and orders were dictated, it is next to an impossibility for a parent not to lament, that more 
distinguishing bounds were not prescribed to the exercise of a choloric master's wrath ; for 
instances of unbecoming severity have been notorious in this school ; though, to the credit of Mr. 
Milner, the present master, it is just to say, that since he held the office, no circumstance of this 
nature has ever reached the author's ears. It is true, that parents may complain of cruel usage 
to their children, to the trustees at their public meetings ; but, the broad and sanguine stripe, 
and the whip -inflicted weal, may be obliterated before an opportunity offers itself for their 
complaining ; in which case an application for redress, would be deemed frivolous and vexatious, 
which would add the spur of revenge to a cruel master's conduct, and, very probably, be the means 
of withholding from the children the conditional gratuity at their quitting the school. For men in 
authority too often pay implicit credence to the declarations of others in authority, while the 
evidence of the less fortunate complainants is neglected and contemned. And, the doubts here cast 
upon the consequences of parents complaining of cruelty to their children, are completely justified 
from the repulsive and cold-blooded manner in which the article is written which authorizes such 
complaints. The effect too of great severity being exercised, must have a tendency to pervert the 
intention of the institution ; for when fear is the only tiling which holds pupils in subordination, 
they look upon their preceptor with horror; and, consequently, every word which falls from his lips 
makes an unfavorable impression on their minds. The man knows little of the human heart, who 
substitutes severity for affability, either in the government of an empire, a school, or a family. 

In the year 1788, a division took place among the subscribers to this institution, which produced 

THE UNITARIAN CHARITY SCHOOL, 

that has ever since been held in the High-pavement chapel, or the school rooms contiguous to it, 
erected for that purpose when the chapel was repaired. The establishment consists of thirty boys 
and twenty-four girls : about one half of each number are annually clothed, according to their 
seniority in the school. Mr, John Malbon is master. 



MfiOtt 



SACRAMENTAL SCHOOL.— SUNDAY SCHOOLS* 127 



SACRAMEJYTAL SCHOOL. 

It is customary for those persons who partake of the Lord's supper in the national establishment, 
to make a donation towards providing a charitable fund : in St. Mary's parish such fund is thus 
disposed of — £18 is annually paid to the sexton for teaching thirty poor children in the rudiments 
of reading, writing, and arithmetic — twelve guineas are disposed of in bread, to be given at Easter 
and Christmas to the poor ; and the remainder is equally divided among the churchwardens and 
vicar, to enable them to be bountiful, in their official capacities, without touching their private 
purses. In 1807, they received about fourteen pounds each. 

At the above date a number of children had clothes found to wear on Sabbath days, by some 
worthy females, providing they attended divine service regularly in this church; but these are now 
led, by their principal patroness, Miss Maddock, to St. James's church. 

SUJYDAY SCHOOLS, <$c 

If the adoption of any science, scheme, or institution, ever received the approbation of mankind 
more than any other, it is that of teaching the children of the indigent the rudiments of education 
on the Sabbath day ; for the mass of the rising generation are thereby enabled to comprehend, 
apply, and partake of the elements of social life; to judge between a servile submission, and a 
savage insolence of conduct to their superiors ; to form right notions of the laws of God, and of 
the rights of man ; and, many of them are also enabled to apply to the arts and sciences, or in the 
higher spheres of life, those talents which heaven has bestowed upon them, and which might 
otherwise have been bound up by the frost of ignorance, or let loose in a dangerous display of 
uncultivated dissipation. Were it proper for the writer of local history, to branch out into the 
regions of panegyric, when the subject in hand is not biographical, a field the most extensive, 
strewed with flowerets the most choice, here presents itself to the luxuriance of imagination ; but 
here, propriety directs the attention principally to facts. 

The generosity of a sentimental public, in erecting a monument of national approbation to 
distinguished merit, has attributed the invention and original application of this never to be 
sufficiently praised institution, to JSlr. Raikes, printer, of Gloucester ; and, no doubt, the principal 
merit, as far as the unwearied application of talent and time goes, is his due ; but as he dates his 
exertions no farther back than 1781, or 80, I have proof before me, that he was neither the original 
inventor nor applier of Sunday school teaching. John Moore, a framework-knitter, of Leicester, 
who, with a philanthropic mind, possessed a strong and active genius, undertook to teach as many 
children to read and write, gratis, on the Sabbath, as his premises would contain. He adopted 
this plan some time previous to the commencement of Mr. Raikes's labours, though the precise 
date is lost, and pursued it several years. The following, however, is a case in point, with exactness 
both of circumstance and date. 

William Hallam, born at Kirton, in this county, in 1743, received an excellent English education 
at East Redford ; and, though he served an apprenticeship to a framework-knitter in Nottingham. 



128 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



he afterwards conducted seminaries in various parts of England, particularly at Buxton, Turnham 
Green, in Middlesex, Mansfield Woodhouse, &c. In 1777, he kept a school at Moneyash in the 
Peak of Derbyshire, and, shortly after the commencement of the following year, he began the 
teaching of poor children and servants, gratis, on the Sabbath, which is two years, at least, 
previous to the commencement of Mr. Raikes's efforts in the same laudable undertaking; and, as 
a proof that Mr. Hallam pursued his plan, and that it was publicly approved, the Rev. John 
Coxson, minister of the village, preached a charity sermon the first Sunday after Easter, the same 
year, for the purpose of purchasing books, &c. for the Use of Mr. Hallam's Sunday school 
institution. In 1781, he became master of the free-school in Mansfield Woodhouse, at which time 
he opened a Sunday school, and advertised for scholars to be taught gratis.* At this time too the 
flame extended to Nottingham, and a Sunday school was opened by the Methodists in Hockley 
chapel ; and several other religious sects in the town soon followed the example. The New 
Methodists, after their separation from the old, built a very commodious school-house, two 
stories high, in Broad-lane-paddock, in 1804. The conductors of the Sunday school in Castle-gate 
chapel, as well as of that in Broad-lane-paddock, refuse to teach arithmetic on the Sabbath; the 
boys therefore attend two or three evenings in the week, for the purpose of receiving instruction 
in that science ; and the girls, at the same time, are instructed in the art of sewing. 

The contention between Joseph Lancaster, one of the society of Friends, and Dr. Bell a 
member of the church of England, for priority in the invention of simplifying the plan of 
education, produced a great national benefit, for the partizans of both have amplified their 
pretensions, by a most extensive practice ; therefore there is scarcely a child in England that has 
not an opportunity of acquiring the rudiments of education, except its parents prevent it. 

In the spring of 1810, a spirited subscription was entered into here for the purpose of 
establishing a school, on the principles and plan laid down by Mr. Lancaster ; and on the 6th of 
August, the same year, the school was opened, in a building on the south side of Broad-marsh, 
originally erected for a cotton mill. And, the extraordinary acquirements made by many of the 
boys, under the tuition of Mr. Isaac Mac Leod, who has conducted the institution from its 
establishment, have gratified the most sanguine expectations of the subscribers. f A school, on the 
principles of Dr. Bell, was also instituted shortly after, by subscription among the members of the 
established church, and which is held in a building in High-cross-street, originally erected for a 
dissenting meeting-house. There are also about forty academies, and other schools of inferior 
note, in the town, the principal of which are, that conducted by the Rev. Dr. Nicholson, in 
Parliament-street, the spacious apartments for which were erected about the year 1777 ; that of 
Mr. Robert Goodacre's on Standard-hill, who erected this commodious building, with an observatory 
at the top in 1807; the Rev. James Tayler's, on Short-hill; Mr. Rodgers's, in St. James's-street ; 
Mr. Biddulph's, in St. Mary's-gate; and Mr. Scott's, Parliament-street. 



* At the time this article was made up for the printer, Hallam was a pauper in St. Mary's workhouse in this town, 
f The Corporation have generously furnished ground closely adjoining the Lambley hospital on the Derby-road, for the erection o$ 
a new school-house, for the use of the Lancasterian institution} and which is expected shortly to be built. 



BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS, 129 



BEJSTEVOLEJSTT INSTITUTIONS. 

In the year 1776,, a few humane persons among the Quakers, began a society at the house of 
Mr. George Bott, dentist, Bridlesmith-gate, for benevolent purposes, and, in consequence of its 
being continued where it was began, it has obtained the appellation of " BotVs society " the 
main design of which will be best explained, in the following quotation from their address, " The 
w design of this institution is, to extend relief to such cases of distress as cannot be assisted, or 
" sufficiently relieved, by the parochial laws of the country. To accomplish this purpose, monthly 
" visitors are appointed, who inspect the cases of those who are recommended, or by any means, 
" come under the notice of the society ; and relieve them by aid of medicine, by the distribution 
" of apparel, by temporary loans or donations of money, coal, and provisions, as circumstances 
ft require. By these means the society assists strangers in distress, — persons labouring under 
iC temporary disease or casual misfortune, — aids the widow and orphan, and endeavours to 
" encourage industry, cleanliness, and virtue." 

" The benevolent purposes of this society have been greatly promoted by the liberal exertions 
" of several ladies (subscribers to this institution,) who visit such of their own sex as are properly 
" recommended, either when lying-in, or under any circumstances of poverty and sickness, and 
"' contribute to their relief by the donation of linen, money, or such other aid as they deem 
" necessary and expedient. Very essential advantages have also arisen from the free and liberal 
" exertions of several medical gentlemen." 

The number of subscribers to this institution, in 1814, amounted to 244 ; and, at the close of 
that year their accounts stood thus : — 

Dr. I Cr. 

sB. s. d. 5 sS. s. d. 

To balance in hand January 1st, 1814 - 1 8 1 5 By 771 cases of want relieved ... 110 12 7 

To subscriptions received - - - - . 167 19 5 By blankets and baize --.-.-13 42 

To donations 1105 By linen -- ---20 00 

To interest ......... 1 15 6 5 By postage, &c. ....... 160 

\ By balance in hand 27 10 

? ' 

172 3 7 I 172 3 7 



In 1804, a benevolent society was formed in St. Mary's church ; and the following is a copy of 
their public address, in February, 1808. 

" TO THE INHABITANTS OF NOTTINGHAM AKD ITS VICIMTY, 

'■' The committee conducting the affairs of the society for the relief of the sick poor, beg leave 
" to lay a statement of their accounts, and the cases relieved during the last year before the public. 
[' It is with regret they have to state, that circumstances have arisen which make it necessary now 
'■' to restrict the administration of the benefits of this institution to the parish of St. Mary's only. — 
" It is scarcely necessary to observe that the subjects of distress in that populous parish are so 
" numerous, and some of them in such extreme indigence and misery, that were the funds increased, 
'■' the committee could much extend their usefulness, even in their present contracted sphere : they 

2 K 



130 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ic trust, therefore, that they shall continue to receive the support of a generous public to an 
" institution so important as a measure of general utility, so beneficial in its effects, and so 
• consonant to the principles of our holy religion." 
The following is the state of the society's accounts for the year 1807. 

Dr. \ Cr. 

£■ s. d. \ £. s. d. 

To balance in hand from 1806 - - - 60 6 3 \ By 666 cases relieved ------ 147 4 6 

To subscriptions and donations - - . 140 14 I By stationary -------- 140 

* By medicine --------- 23 190 

X By balance in hand 28 12 9 

201 3 \ 201 3 

In this year, that is in 1807, the society held at Mr. Bott's relieved 1013 cases, making the 
number of the distressed individuals thus relieved, many of them with large families, amount to 
1679. The reader, by adding these to the vast number receiving parochial aid at the same time, 
or, at least by adding the sums of money thus expended, will be enabled to form a tolerably 
accurate opinion of the misery brought upon this fine town by a cruel and sanguinary war. 

Had the writer been solely guided by the feelings of his own heart, on this subject, he would 
have given the name of every subscriber to these praise-worthy institutions ; but, as many readers 
might have thought it an unnecessary extension to the number of the pages, the object was given 
up. For, what a contrast would those lists have exhibited, when compared with those men whose 
names are accompanied with the appellation of hero, and who are generally selected by historians 
to emblazon their works ; men who have acquired an exalted reputation by murder, and every 
possible means of devastation — men, whose characters rise in the giddy fancy of mankind, in 
proportion to the number and magnitude of spoliations they have occasioned — men, whose purpose 
on earth seems to be to blast the fair blossoms of fructifying nature, and to sport with the mercies of 
heaven. Compare the actions of these men, with the conduct of those who visit the bed of 
sickness and distress, for the purpose of administering relief ; and then ask, which are the most 
to be admired ! which the most worthy of imitation ! 

• VACCINE INSTITUTION. 

Among the numerous benefits resulting from the ingenuity of man, perhaps there is not one, 
which deserves more the commendation of society than the discovery of vaccine inoculation ; as 
it prevents the infectiously spreading of, and, in time, might wholly eradicate one of the most 
loathsome diseases which ever afflicted the human frame. Dr. Marryat, when speaking of the 
cause of the small pox says, " It seems to be born with us, and to lie hid until some violent 
" exagitation of the blood, from the introduction of a variolous particle, raises the seminal ferment, 
w and occasions the appearance of those eruptions." 

In the year 1800, Mr. John Attenburrow, a surgeon of long and pre-eminent practice in this 
town, undertook to propagate vaccine inoculation amongst his fellow-towns-people. He first 
inoculated his own son ; and the second he operated on, was an infant son of Mr. Charles Baxter, 



VACCINE INSTITUTION, 131 



who then kept the Cordwainer's Arms public-house, on Tollhouse-hill — in both cases, complete 
success crowned his fondest wishes. He repeated the operation twice upon each child, but the 
vaccine matter only took effect the first time. He then tried the infectous matter of the natural 
pock; but it took no effect. Mr. Attenburrow had still to contend against prejudices of women of 
all ages, and particularly the systematic prejudices of old women in men's cloathing, among- whom 
were some of the faculty ; but his credit and perseverance at length sacrificed the follies of his 
opposers at the altar of public good. Mrs. Baxter, possessing enlarged ideas, and a mind of 
superior polish, to what generally falls to the lot of most women in her sphere of life, pitied the 
clamours of those who called her an unnatural mother ; and her conduct on this occasion had its 
proper effect upon the minds of her female neighbours. Mothers, shortly after, began to flock to 
Mr. Attenburrow's surgery with their children to be inoculated, who, instead of making a charge, 
thanked them for their attendance. Thus the principle and the practice of vaccine inoculation 
spread abroad hand in hand ; and when a child became inflicted with the natural pock, its mother 
was branded as an enemy to her own child, under an impression that its affliction was the 
consequence of her own obstinacy or neglect. The other surgeons soon followed the praise- worthy 
example set them by Mr. Attenburrow ; a discrimination was made between those parents who 
could, and those who could not afford to pay for the inoculation of their children ; and this 
discrimination formed the boundaries to the exercise of this new species of charity. Upon an 
investigation of the business, by a number of wealthy and humane inhabitants of the town, this 
practice was thought to be too heavy a tax upon the benevolence of gentlemen of the faculty, in 
particular as the burden fell principally on a few ; a public subscription was therefore began in 
18o5, for the purpose of paying a surgeon for inoculating the children of the poor; and to say 
that the small pox were not nearly driven from the town, would be to libel the good sense of the 
inhabitants. In 1813, this institution was brought to a close, for want of subscriptions to carry it 
on ; but, at the same time a medical establishment was formed at St. Mary's workhouse, by the 
overseers of that parish ; where the poor children of the parish are vaccinated gratis on the 
application of their parents. — In 1814, a fever house was established at this workhouse, which, 
at the succeeding Easter, was warmly commended for its usefulness in arresting the progress of 
contagious fevers, by H. Payne, M. D. and Mr. Henry Oldknow, surgeon, the then superintendents 
of the medical establishment.* 



* When the celebrated lady, Mary Wortley Montague was residing in Turkey with her husband, who was the British Ambassador at 
Constantinople, she was delivered of a daughter, about the year 1715, and, as inoculation with the natural pock was common in that 
country, she submitted to her child's undergoing the operation ; and this was the first British born subject that was thus operated upon. 
This child, afterwards became wife to the Earl of Bute, political preceptor to George the Third. In 1721, several condemned 
criminals in Newgate submitted to the natural pock inoculation, on condition of having their liberty granted, if they survived the 
disease thus communicated. They not only survived but did well ; md from that time the practice of inoculation became general 
iu this country. And, it is. well for mankind that, that practice is superceded by a better. 



132 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



CHAPTER VI. 

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERAL MONASTERIES IN THIS TOWN PRIOR 

TO THE REFORMATION. 



On entering on this subject, I shall not, like Throsby, drop a tear of sympathy over the places 
nehere once stood these monuments of human folly and prejudice; for, it must be the wish of every 
friend to the human race, that seminaries of incest, sodomy, and every other species of abomination, 
such as monasteries were known to be, should be swept from the face of the earth, and that the 
ploughshare should convert the ground whereon they stand into nurseries for human food ; or that 
the buildings themselves be turned into recepticles for indigence and old age, or into schools for 
the education of youth. I am not sufficiently an antiquary, to admire an institution, merely because 
it is old, independently of the influence it has, or may have had on the manners and happiness of 
mankind. With the man who admires for admiring's sake, such a notion may suit ; but, with the 
opinions of him, who couples utility with veneration, it will always be at odds. 

If the charms of Anne Bullen were the cause of monasteries being destroyed in England (and 
there is great reason to believe that they were) the nation owes more to her memory, than to that 
of any other female, who ever breathed the breath of life ; for national utility and liberality of 
sentiment are as much at variance with the congregating of monastic hordes, as the practice of 
virtue is with the conduct of the vilest of the Billingsgate fraternity. 

Monachism took its rise in the east, sometime in the third century ; but I neither mean to tire 
myself or try the reader's patience by relating the history of its progress : suffice it to say, that 
religious persecution and the reveries of devotees gave it birth — superstition, craft, -idleness, and 
unnatural lust procured its maturity — arrogance, presumption, ignorance, and a spirit of domination 
secured its power for a time, and made it the bridler of kings and the fetterer of nations — and, 
in this country, the charms of a worthy woman produced its overthrow and death. May it never 
revive, to scourge mankind with its bloody lash, and bind human reason in chains ! In this town 
the following orders were established, viz. The brothers of St. John of Jerusalem ; the Minorites, 
or Grey Friars ; and the Carmelites, or Wliite Friars. 

The brothers of St. John, observed a perfect equality of property in their creed — " Thy money 
"_ be with thee to perdition," was a proverbial expression among them, to shew that individual 
property was a thing which they despised — How strangely men differ in opinion about this thing 
called money; for we find many men in the present age, with professions equal in sanctity to those 
manifested by the brothers of St. John, who would risk perdition in the pursuit of gain — A man 
must have been a warrior from his youth, and have fought in support of the cross of Christ, to 







MONASTERIES. 



133 



ensure his election into this order ; many of the members whereof were famous in the crusades,- 
or crosades, in what is called the holy land, during 1 which, if we are to believe their legends, 
numerous miracles were wrought among them, such as Christ conversing with them on certain 
occasions, and the wonderful conversion of stones into loaves, and loaves into stones, to suit 
different purposes. 

After the failure of the crusades, the members of this order were dispersed into different parts of 
Europe ; but their principal place of residence was Malta ; and, excepting that remnant, they have 
long been extinct, and those are now swallowed up in the vortex of European contentions. A 
party of them settled in Nottingham about the year 1215, and their habitation occupied the site 
where now stands the house of correction. In 1539, their order was dissolved ; and their estate 
here was afterwards given to the Corporation to enable them to keep the Trent bridge in repair. 
Their dress consisted of a linen surplice, which reached down to their feet, with an outward black 
garment in the shape of a cloak, and a hood of the same colour, covering the head, except the 
crown, whieh was shaven, and constrained to be uncovered. They were not permitted to have any 
more sisters than were necessary to serve the sick and look after the affairs of the house, and, if 
any of the brothers were found to be lewd, they were expelled, except they were mending their 
conduct. 

The Minorites, or Grey Friars, had a convent at the south-west corner of Broad-marsh ; and 
the land belonging it was walled round, and extended to the Leen. Their founder was a mendicant 
of the name of Francis, whom superstition and fraud dubbed with the appellation of Saint, and 
who, very probably, was such a character as Bampfylde Moore Carew, the celebrated hero among- 
modern mendicants, while his followers, most likely, were not unlike the gangs of sham-crippled 
beggars of Bampfylde ; and hence the members of this very respectable order were honored with 
the name of mendicants. We are told, that St. Francis was an Italian merchant, extremely 
wicked ; and, that after he turned Saint, he robbed his father to enable him to repair the christian 
churches. This was a fit person to make a Saint of, that he might intercede for a remission 
of other people's sins, he being so exceedingly well acquainted with crimes and robberies 
himself. 

Deering, when introducing this subject, says, l * Dr. Thoroton talies notice, that in the 5th of 
u King Stephen, mention is made of the monks of Nottingham ; this was before any particular 
*' -denomination of regulars were in this town, else they would have been called by the peculiar 
"' name of their profession ; but what puts it out of all doubt is, that the Franciscans, [the 
" Minorites]) of which the Minors are a branch, did not come into England till 1220, and the 
■" Carmelites not till 11240, whereas the 5th of King Stephen is so early as 1110." And, in page 
62, when speaking of Franciscans, he says, " this order came first into England in 1210, about 
" the 4th of King Henry the Third." This requires no comment, as the reader cannot avoid seeing 1 
that our author contradicts himself; except that it is necessary to state, that the 5th of Stephen was 
in 1140, and that the 4th of Henry the Third was in 1220; it therefore appears proper to give 
preference to the testimony of Thoroton. 



134 IIlSTOltV OP NOTTINGHAM. 



These mendicants wore a long grey coat, and a hood of the same colour. They went barefooted; 
and were girded round the waist with a cord. 

The Carmelites settled in England in the early part of the twelfth century ; and, in 1290, they 
were very numerous, at which time they obtained permission from Pope Honorius the 4th, to 
exchange their party-coloured mantle, which they pretended to wear in imitation of the mantle of 
the prophet Elias, for a white cloak ; and hence they obtained, the name of White Friars. They 
took their original name of Carmelites from a set of hermits that dwelt on Mount Carmel in 
Palestine. Their convent in this town stood where now stands the house of Mr. Bakewell, 
woolstapler, between St. James's-street and Friar-lane. 

ST. LEONARDO HOSPITAL. 

Concerning this institution, Thoroton has the following words : — " The Lepers of the hospital 
" of St. Leonard at Nottingham, 10. H. 3. (1226) had reasonable estrover of dead wood to be 
" gathered in the forest of Nottingham." 

This institution cannot be considered as having been a recepticle for a distinct religious order, 
but merely as an appendage to the rest ; or, as the name imports, a house for the reception of 
lepers. 

Hospitals for the reception of those persons troubled with the dreadful disease of leprosy were 
common among the Hebrews, as may be seen by referring to the 2d of Kings, the vii. chap. v. 8. 
and Luke the xvii. chap. v. 12. This distemper was introduced into Europe by the Moors and 
Arabs, about the beginning of the eleventh century ; and, with such extreme violence did it rage, 
that Matthew Paris, the historian, who died in 1259, informs us, that in his time there were not less 
than nine thousand hospitals for lepers in Europe. Leprosy is one of the most dreadful diseases 
which ever afflicted mankind, so much so, that the Hebrews looked upon it as a visitation from 
heaven for some heinous offence, and therefore never attempted its cure, except by washing and 
religious expiation. And, in latter times, those afflicted with this disease were always reputed 
unclean, and were therefore necessitated to live apart from those that were not thus afflicted ; in 
consequence thereof they formed themselves into societies for mutual protection and benefit : they 
erected convents for habitations, and dedicated them to some particular saint, according to the 
superstition of the day. Here monks, friars, priests, and lay persons might dwell together, without 
being subject to the rules of any particular order, except such as related to the ameliorating their 
distempered condition. 

Deering, after much research, for the site whereon stood the hospital of St. Leonard in this 
town, concluded it to be at the south-west corner of Narrow-marsh, where a church-like 
foundation, which has been removed in part, and partly re-occupied with new buildings within the 
last fifteen years, in his opinion justified such a conclusion. Had our author seen Spede's map, 
his research might have been spared ; for there the lepers' hospital is distinctly seen, in the place 
where he conceived it to have been. It appears by an instrument of the 31st of Edward the 
Third, that an endowment of half an acre of land in the king's domains within the court of 
Nottingham, in the hermitage, which was called Owswell, was granted to St. Leonard's hospital. 



ST. LEONARDS AND Sl\ SEPULCHRES* 



135 



FRATERNITY OF ST. SEPULCHRE, cfc 

Thoroton informs us, that, in the reign of Henry the Third, there was a party in this town., 
called the Fraternity of St. Sepulchre, (Fratres S. Sepulchri) and a college of secular priests in 
the castle, as likewise a cell for four monks in the chapel of St. Mary in the rock under the castle. 
In a small book, printed in 1680, entitled Valor Beneficiorum x this chapel is said to have been a 
rectory, and of ,£5 value in the kings books. 

It has often excited considerable surprise, that Henry the Eighth, considering with what rancour 
he destroyed the monasteries, did not give up the title of Defender of the Faith in a huff, as it 
was given to him by Pope Leo the Tenth, for defending the absurdities of the church of Rome 
against the doctrines of Martin Luther. For, this was the very Pope that used to make his boast 
how much money the mother church had obtained by the fable of the birth of Christ; therefore, 
according to the opinion of this pious Pope, Henry's merit consisted in supporting a superstructure, 
which had a fable for its foundation ! Alas, Henry ! where was thy honor, when thou receivedst a 
title from a professed hypocrite ? 

Some baubles will an upgrown child, beguile, 
At which a boy of five years old would smile ! 



* The author, from mere curiosity, presents the following charter from Dugdale's Monastecan .'~ 

Charter of King Henry the Fourth, granted to the priory of Benedictine Nuns, at Derby. 

Henry, by the grace of Ood, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, to all to whom these letters may come, health : Know ye 
that, as we have been informed, our progenitor, Lord Henry the Third, King of England, did, by his letters patent, for the augmentation of 
his revenue, and the better maintenance of our beloved in Christ the prioress and the convent of nuns of the priory of St. Mary de Pratis, 
of Derby, give and concede to the said prioress and convent, for praying for the soul of John the Father of the aforesaid King Henry, one 
hundred shillings, as a free, pure, and perpetual charity, to be received annually by themselves and their successors, from the fee-farm 
of the town of Nottingham, by the hands of the bailiffs for the time being ; which letters have been burnt by the sudden misfortune of fire. 
We, therefore, of our special grace, at the prayer of the aforesaid priore?s and convent, and on consideration of what has been before stated, 
do give and concede for ourselves and our heirs as far as in us lies, to the aforesaid prioress and convent, the sum of one hundred shillings, 
to be paid annually, for ever, to themselves and their successors, out of the fee-farm of our town of Nottingham, by the hands of the bailiffs 
of the said town, for the time being, at two equal payments, on St. Michael's day, and Easter. In testimeny of which, we have caused 
these our letters patent to be made ; myself being witness, at Westminster, this day of July, in the first year of eur reign. 



130 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



CHAPTER VII. 

CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOSPITALS, ALMS-HOUSES, AND OTHER CHARITIES. 



PLUMP THE s HOSPITAL. 

Piuor to the reformation,, this institution, with much propriety, might have been classed under 
the head, chapels ; but since the endowment has been better applied, than in maintaing two lazy 
priests to teach a few old women how to count their beads and mumble their pater-nosters, it comes 
properly under the present head. 

Deering, on the part of his patron, John Phimptre, Esq. or, at least in his name, makes an 
attack upon Thoroton, for having committed a mere sexual error in his account of this hospital ; 
while he has laboured in his own long and garbled account, evidently to conceal certain names, as 
connected with circumstances of embezzling the proceeds of this charity. I shall therefore prefer 
the relation given by Thoroton, which is as follows : — 

" In the time of King Richard the Second here flourished Henry de Plumptre, and two Johns 
" de Plumptre, brothers, as their several wills do intimate; Henry's testament bears date 1408, 
" which year he died, in which he gave a legacy to his sister Elisota, and another to John de 
f< Croweshawe his younger brother, besides very many other, as one to Thomas his brother's son, 
"and another to Elizabeth his own wife's daughter; John his son and heir, and Margaret then 
" wife of the said Henry, were his executors, and Thomas de Plumptre, chaplain, a witness. 

" John de Piumptre's testament was dated 1415, not long before his death, he also gave a legacy 
" to his sister Elisota, and another to his brother John : his executors were John de Plumptre, his 
" cousin, and Thomas de Plumptre, chaplain, his cousin also; John Plumptre, junior, was witness. 
" This John the testator had a licence. 16 R. 2. to found a certain hospital or house of God, of 
" (or for) two chaplains, whereof one should be master or warden of the said hospital, or house of 
" God, and of (or for) thirteen widows broken with old age, and depressed with poverty, in a 
*' certain messuage of the said John, with the appurtenances in Nottingham, and to give the said 
" messuage, and ten other messuages, and two tofts, with the appurtenances in the said town, to the 
u said master or warden, and his successors, viz. the one messuage for the habitation of the said 
•*' chaplains and widows, and the rest, for their sustentation, to pray for the wholesome estate of the 
" said John, and Em me his wife whilst they should live, and for their souls afterwards. In the 
" year 1400, July 12, seeing that God had vouchsafed him to build a certain hospital at the bridge 
w end of Nottingham in honor of God, and the annunciation of his mother the blessed Virgin, for 
" the sustenance of thirteen poor women, &c. he proposed to ordain a chantry, and willed that it 
" should be at the altar of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary in the chapel built beneath 



plumptre's hospital. 137 



" the said hospital, and should be of two chaplains perpetually to pray for the state of the king, of 
" him the said John de Plumptre, and Emme his wife, and of the whole community of Nottingham, 
" &c. who with the prior of Lenton, after the death of the said John the founder, were to present 
" to it, and each of the said two chaplains were for their stipends to have 100s. yearly paid in 
" money out of the said ten tenements, and two tofts in Nottingham. After the dissolution of 
" monasteries, in 2 E. 6. Sir Gervase Clifton, Sir John Hersey, Sir Anthony Nevile, Knights, 
" and William Bolles, Esquire, commissioners for the survey of colleges, chapels, &c. certified 
" that no poor were then to be found in this hospital, and that the lands were then wholly employed 
" to the benefit of one Sir Piers Bursdale, priest, master thereof. Afterwards both the hospital 
" and chapel became ruinous and demolished, and the very materials embezzled, till after diverse 
" patents of the said mastership, Nicholas Plumptre, of Nottingham, 24 Eliz. obtained one, and 
" with the fines he received, made some reparations, and brought in some poor, but after his 
" decease during- the masterships of Richard Parkins of Boney, and Sir George his son, who it 
" seems were trusted successively, for Henry Plumptre, son and heir of the Nicholas, in his 
" non-age, having then married Anne, the daughter of the said Richard, and sister of the said Sir 
" George Parkins, both the hospital and tenements belonging to it grew into great decay, until after 
" Sir George's death, that Nicholas Plumptre, son and heir of Henry, last named, became master 
" by a patent 5 Car. 1 and made some repairs and amendments, which yet were not judged 
" sufficient by his brother and heir Huntingdon Plumptre, doctor of physick, who all succeeded 
" him in the mastership, Avhich he obtained 1645, (being then eminent in his profession, and a 
" person of great note, for wit and learning, as formerly he had been for poetry when he printed 
•*•' his book of Epigrams and Batrachomyomachia) for in the year 1650, he pulled the hospital 
" down, and rebuilt it as now appears, and advanced the rents, so that the monthly allowance to 
" the poor is double to what it was anciently. His son and heir Henry Plumptre, Esquire, is now 
" master or guardian, being so made by his present majesty, 24 Car. 2. 1672."* 

For a considerable time prior to 1645, the allowance to each poor widow was one penny per 
day, at which date it was advanced to two shillings and tenpence a month, with an additional 
sixpence on New-year's-day. In 1650, the allowance was advanced to five shillings a month ; at 
a subsequent period it was fifteen shillings, accompanied with a ton of coal and a new gown to 
each at Christmas ; and now it is £1 2s. 7d. per month, with the gowns and coal continued. 

The behaviour of two of the venerable occupiers of this hospital, when I went to examine it, 
was calculated to make an impression, not easily to be defaced — they were upwards of eighty years 
of age ; and the reader, it is hoped, will pardon me for dropping a few words on the subject. On 
being asked some questions respecting their situation, their eyes began to flow with tears, and they 
seemed lost in an extaey of joy when speaking of the pious founder; but particularly when 
referring to the conduct of Francis Evans, Esq. steward to the estate, and disposer of the proceeds. 



* Tr.is worthy character resided in the house now occupied by Mr. George Johnson, which stands at the right hand corner of the 
entrance into Willoughby-row from Fisher-gate; and it is very probable that he built it, as his family arms wore ens-raven on stone 3nd 
placed in the front, where they still remain. 

2 M 



138 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



ftcin^ ignorant of the motives which induced the inquiry, they said, " surely you dont intend to 
" do us any hurt ; for, Mr. Evans is so good a gentl^aan, that he never lets us ask twice for 
"any thing !" When i had explained to them,, the object of ray inquiries, they exclaimed, "That 
" h all we want — God bless you — and be sure to give Mr. Evans a good character." We wept 
jogether ; and I left them, with a mind fully determined to comply with their desires. 

The founder of this hospital was a merchant of the staple of Calais ; and, by whatremainsof 
the ancient fabric, it appears to have consisted of massive stone walls, in which are still to be seen 
several niches, which the old ladies, before alluded to, justly remarked, had been made for the 
admission of images connected with the Roman Catholic religion. Just opposite to the common 
entrance out of Fisher-gate is the door place which led into the chapel — it is bricked up, and is 
the only remaining appearance of that ancient place of worship, which, Deering says, " was 58 
" feet long and 32 feet in front" Our author likewise says, that the west front of the hospital in 
his day, was 74 feet ; and that the depth of it was 63 feet. In what manner he took his 
admeasurement I cannot tell ; for though the building is in the same state as it was then, except 
as time and repairs may have altered it, according to the admeasurement which I took of it, the 
west front is about 27 feet, and the depth of it in Fisher-gate, about 96 feet. 

Over the western entrance used to be the following Latin inscription, which was preserved by 

Thoroton : — 

Xenodochium hoc cum sacello adjuncto in 

honorem Annunciationis B. Virg. Mariae 

pro ]3. pauperiorum Viduarum 8$ 2 Sa- 

cerdotum alimonia Johannes de Plumptre, 

fundavit A. D. 1390. Quod (temporis 

diuturnitate jam pene confecium) instauravit 

denuo, fy hoc qualicunq. structure! se sibi 

restituit Huntingdonus Plumptre ex fami- 

lia fundatoris, Armiger, &; ejusdem Hos- 

j)itii Magister, A. D. 1650. 

In a note on this inscription Deering makes the following remark, "This inscription might lie 
" somewhat worn in Thoroton's time, so that he might easily mistake the round part of the 2 for a 
<f cypher. The licence being obtained in 1392." That Thoroton mistook the figure for a cypher, 
there seems little doubt ; and that Deering is also wrong in his correction is also certain, as the 
licence was obtained the 16th of Richard the Second, which was in 1393. This error is preserved 
too upon the stone which contains the subsequent inscription.* 

The stone containing the above inscription being very much defaced, it was taken away, 
probably when the alterations were made in 1753, and one containing the following was placed in 
its stead. 



■* JDugdale, in his MonasUcan, says the licence for the founding of this hospital was obtained in 1460. 



PLUMPTRES HOSPITAL HANDLE Y'S ALMS-HOUSES. 139 



(C Plumptre Hospital, 
originally founded and endowed for the support of a master and a priest, and 13 poor widows, 
by John de Plumptre, in 1392. When almost decayed it was in part renewed by a descendent 
of the founder, Huntingdon Plumptre, Esq. 1650. 

" Besides other great improvements, four new tenements were added by his grandson, John 
Plumptre, Esq. deceased, in 1751. His son, John Plumptre, Esq. repaired the old buildings and 
added two new tenements, thus completing the charitable design of the benevolent founders, 
A. D. 1753L" 

HANDLE? "s ALMS-HOUSES 

Handler's hospital, which consists of twelve habitations., stands in Stoney-stieet, the building 
-commencing near the top of Barker-gate, and extending- northwards in the former street : upon a 
stone in the centre of the front is the following- inscription, now almost obliterated, accompanied 
-with the arms of the founder. 

Henry Hundley, Esq. whose body is interred 
in the Church of Bramcote in the County of 
Nottingham, caused this Aims-House to be e- 
rected for 12 poor People, and did give one 
hundred Pounds yearly, forth of his ancient In- 
heritance, Lands at and near Bramcote afore- 
said, for pious and charitable Uses, to continue 
for ever. Namely Xli. for the Maintenance 
of the said 12 poor people; XXL for a Week- 
ly Lecture in this Town ; XXI. for a Preach- 
ing and residing Minister at Bramcote; XL 
for the Poor of Bramcote ; XL foF the Poor at 
Wilford; XXs. to the Poor of Beeston; XXs. 
to the Poor of Chilwell ; XXs. to the Poor of 
Attenborow and Toton ; XXs. to the Poor of 
Stapleford; XXs. to the Poor of Trow ell ; 
XXs. to the Poor of Woollaton ; and TVL to 
the Poor Prisoners in the Gaols for the County 
of Nottingham yearly for ever, and one third 
Bell to the aforesaid Church of Bramcote. — 
This pious, most charitable, and at this Time 
most seasonable Donation, as it deservedly per- 
petuates his Memory to be honoured by all Pos- 
terity, so it gives a most worthy example for 
Imitation. He died on the 10th Day of June 
1630. 



140 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



To each of these habitations is attached a convenient plot of garden ground, the whole of which 
extends from the back of the hospital to the back of Rice-place, in Barker-gate. But, as each 
dwelling consists of one room only ; as the whole fabric is in a wretched state of delapidation, 
without any prospect of adequate reparation ; and, as the site is a most eligible one for genteel 
buildings, it appears highly desirable that the trustees should sell the estate, and erect twelve other 
small houses, more convenient for the occupiers, for the purpose of perpetuating the founder's 
charitable intention. Land might be obtained in the skirts of the town for one-fourth of the money 
which the estate in question would sell for; or, from what the writer hereof knows of the disposition 
of the Corporation of this town, on subjects like this, he has no doubt but that body would grant 
a convenient piece of waste ground, on a mere nominal rent, for the object in question. The 
remainder of the money, produced by the sale of the present estate, might be placed out at 
interest, and thereby some addition would be made to the allowance of the poor occupiers, which 
is now only sixteen shillings and eightpence per quarter; that being paid to them by Mr. 
Wheatcroft of this town as steward to John Longden, Esq. of Bramcote, who holds the estates of 
the founder, from which the various bequests arise. That gentleman too has the presentation of 
the four centre habitations ; the Mayor of Nottingham, for the time being, disposes of the four 
towards the north ; and Earl Man vers of the four towards the south. 

Without some steps are speedily taken to repair, or rebuild these humble tenements they will 
shortly be in an uninhabitable state, which would certainly be contrary to the founder's will ; not 
only as he left forty pounds a year in perpetuity to be paid to the occupiers thereof, but, as his will 
possitively directs, that they shall be kept in a state of repair by the town of Nottingham. This, 
it is reasonable to infer, must imply that the mayor of this town should not only be a trustee for 
the management of these alms-houses, but that he should likewise have the control of the bequest ; 
for, otherwise, to carry the will into effect would be to give a power to the exercise of thai will, 
contrary to both law and equity : it would be saying, that Henry Handley, Esq. of Bramcote, had 
the power of taxing the inhabitants of Nottingham, which, beyond dispute, was not the case. — 
Though the laws of England authorize a testator to appoint executors to his will, they do not 
enable him to tax those executors with the expense of carrying such will into effect ; nor, if such 
executors are magistrates, does the laws authorize them to tax those persons within their jurisdiction, 
for any purpose of that kind. Therefore, if the passage in this will, mean any thing, which directs 
these alms-houses to be kept in repair by the town of Nottingham, it seems reasonable to suppose, 
that the testator intended that the mayor, for the time be' >; (he being supposed to be the best 
judge, from his resident situation) should have the power of taxing the estates whence the bequest 
emanates, or else the bequest itself, to enable him to keep the building in repair. 

John Longden, Esq. generally causes the houses in Ins presentation to be occupied by the poor of 
Bramcote, in order to ease that parish in its rates: at .; Earl Manvers might do the same, respecting 
any of the villages within his estates ; therefore for Nottingham to keep the whole of these 
habitations in repair, according to the bare letter of the will, it would be making the inhabitants 
thereof contribute towards the rates of those parishes, whose poor were placed in these alms-houses; 
and God knows they have enough to do in paying their own. If John Longden, Esq. and Earl 



HANDLE YS ALMS-HOUSES — WAKTNABY'S ALMS-HOUSES. 141 



Manvers would give up their repective shares in the presentation, it would then be both reasonable 
and just for the mayor of this town to repair the dwellings in question, by means of a town rate ; 
and, by reserving the presentation wholly to himself, he might apportion the benefit of the bequest 
among the three parishes, so as to compensate them for their expenses. 

If these dwellings are suffered to remain in an uninhabitable state during a succession of years, 
(three I believe,) the consequence will be, that John Longden, Esq. will become the exclusive 
proprietor of the stipend paid to the occupiers, as his predecessor did, about the year 1768, of the 
£20 annually paid, as directed by the will of the said Henry Handley, to a minister in this town 
for reading a lecture once a week, which was lost in the following manner : — 

The Rev. Mr. Davenport, being a curate at St. Mary's, and having but a small income, the 
leo-acy was given to him, from a principle of compassion, to enable him the better to provide for 
a very numerous family. In process of time Mr. Davenport obtained the benefice of Ratcliff-on- 
Trent, from which place he used to come every Wednesday morning to read the lecture in St. 
Mary's church. For a time he used to accompany the lecture with the morning prayers, as an 
accommodation to the vicar. At length he declined reading prayers ; in consequence of which the 
vicar refused to let him pass through the vicarage seat, which it was necessary for him to do in 
order to mount the pulpit. Notwithstanding this obstruction, Mr. Davenport continued to come 
as usual, and, when he found the vicarage seat door closed against him, he would give it a shake, 
and, at the same time, make a significant nod to some of the congregation, by way of saying, 
" take notice that I am here." After pursuing this course some time, Mr. Davenport neglected to 
attend — the legacy remained undemanded during three years ; and from that time it has been lost, 
and, that part of the donor's will perverted. And this will be the case with the charitable purposes 
of the will altogether, if similar opportunities occur. I would here recommend to the gentleman, 
who holds the estates of the testator, Handley, to examine the conduct of Mr, Evans, who has the 
direction of the charitable donations of the Plumptre's, and then remind him of the words of our 
Lord in the parable of the good Samaritan — " go thou and do likewise." 

About the year 1748, the Corporation repaired these habitations at the cost of their own chamber 
purse ; but, the other presentors not following their example, they consider themselves under no 
obligation to do the like again. 

BARNABY JVARTWABYs ALMSHOUSES. 

Barnaby Wartnaby an industrious blacksmith of this town, who having acquired considerable 
property, determined upon perpetuating his memory by an act of charity ; accordingly some years 
before his death, he erected a building, at the end, and on the north side of Pilcher-gate, consisting 
of three lower, and three upper rooms — the lower ones he consigned for the residence of three 
poor women, and the upper ones to the same number of poor old men for ever ; any one of whom 
to be subject to removal by the trustees, for leading disorderly lives; the founder being a strict 
nonconformist, in the furious reign of Charles the Second, By his will, bearing date the 30th of 
October, 1672, he directed that each of his bead-folk should receive five shillings at his death; and 
further, that ninety pounds should be disposed of thus ; that is, each man to have a new coat, aud 

2 N 



142 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



each woman a new gown • and that the surplus to remain in the hands of the trustees, to add to 
the rental of two houses adjoining- the alms-houses, and one in Woolpack-lane, long- in the 
occupation of Mr. Fox, framesmith, and now in that of William Rushton, of the same business, 
for the purpose of making provision, as far as such property would go, for the poor people in his 
alms-houses. 

Deering gives the mayor of the town a principal authority in the management of this charity j 
whereas he neither has, nor ever had, any more to do with it, according to the information 1 have 
received from the oldest of the present trustees, than had the author of the Arabian Nights 
Entertainment, nor does the testator's will mention the mayor at all. Deering further says, that 
the rents arising from the above-named tenements i( were to be disposed of for cloathing, coal, 
" and repairs." Here he is right ; and the practice seems to have been, ever since the testator's 
death, to give each man a coat, and each woman a gown every two years, with two tons of coal to 
each annually. The trustee above alluded to, informed me, that, about the year 1785, a weekly 
allowance of sixpence was began to be given to each of the old people in these alms-houses, in 
audition to their cloathing and coal, which was shortly afterwards encreased to a shilling ; and, 
though the regular allowance thus continues, two, three, or four pounds are sometimes sent to be 
divided among the old people. The trustees are, Thomas Hall, Esq. F. Hardwick, Esq. Mr. 
William Jamson, attorney-at-law, Mr. Thomas Evison, Mr. John Stirland, and Mr. Thomas 
Dufty, who have the sole presentation to, and management of the charity. 

In 1806, these alms-houses underwent a general repair, as well as the two adjoining houses ; 
till which time a stone in the west end contained the following inscription : — 

As God above, out of his Love, 

Has given to me store, 
So I out of Charity, 

Give this House to the Poor. , 
Let's pray for one another, 

So long as we do live, 
That we may to God's Glory go, 

To him that this did give. 
Barnaby Warinaby, 1665. 
The following brief inscription now occupies the place of the above. 

This House and others were given to the Poor, 

bv Barnaby Wartnaby, 

1665. 

PILCHERGATE ALMS-HOUSES. 

A little above Wartnaby's alms-houses, on the same side of the street, stand four miserable, 
unendowed hovels, in the presentation of the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of St. Mary's 
parish, of the origin of which no trace can be found. There is strong reason to believe, however, 
that they were once endowed, and that the property has been applied to other purposes. There 
is a house on the same side of the street, which was leased to one Dunn, by the parish officers, in 
1731, for the term of ninety-nine years, and on conditions highly advantageous to the lessee, which, 



PILCHER-GATE ALMS-HOUSES — WARSER-GATE HOSPITALS. 143 



very probably, might once belong to these humble habitations. There is another house in this 
street, the possessor of which, I believe, holds it more by the title of occupancy than that of right; 
and which, if properly sought into, might be found to have belonged to these premises. 

In the summer of 1807, at a full vestry meeting in St. Mary's church, it was unanimously 
resolved, to carry a previous resolution into effect, which gave full powers to the churchwardens 
and overseers to sell these premises, and an adjoining yard ; and with the proceeds of such sale, to 
erect other small dwellings upon some spare ground belonging to Woolley's bead-houses in 
Beck-lane, which was at their disposal. It was likewise resolved, if any surplus remained, after a 
clear adjustment of accounts, that it should be applied in the best possible manner for the benefit 
of those who might hereafter occupy the intended habitations. These salutary resolutions, however, 
have not been carried into eiFect ; and the ground, on which the houses were intended to be built, 
has been disposed of, as will be seen hereafter. 

A butcher's stall, which stood near the Weekday-cross, has been disposed of by the parish 
officers, since the above resolutions Avere passed, for ,£35, the interest whereof has been adjudged 
to the occupiers of these miserable dwellings. 

JVARSER-GATE HOSPITALS. 

These habitations stand on the south side of the street, and nearly facing the end of Queen-street. 
The origin of this foundation, like the one we have just been speaking of, is entirely lost; though 
there exists an opinion, though upon what authority I know not, that William Scott, who was 
mayor of this town in 1578, was the founder, and that he left property, the annual rent of which 
was to be distributed among his bead-folk. Forty years ago the building consisted of a few 
miserable huts; but, within that time the whole has been rebuilt, at the expense of St. Mary's 
parish, the minister, churchwardens, and overseers thereof having, by will, or otherwise, obtained 
the presentation : it is divided into six dwellings, three upper and three lower, of one room each ; 
those who occupy the upper receive ten shillings a year, and those in the lower one guinea each. 
It has been customary too, within the last ten years, for each occupier to receive half a ton of coal 
at Christmas ; but this depends entirely on the will of the churchwardens. 

The property from which these annual stipends emanate, is a plot of ground in the fields, which 
was long held by the late Mr. Rowbothom, of the Flying Horse Inn. There likewise goes a 
tradition, that a portion of land near Poplar-place once belonged to this charity, and that an 
annual acknowledgment was paid for it some years ago ; but all claim upon the land and the 
acknowledgment too is now for ever lost. This, however ought not to prevent the parish officers 
from inquiring into the value of that portion of land in the fields which belongs to this charity ; 
for small indeed must be that plot of ground within the liberties of Nottingham which is not worth 
more than £4 13s. a year, particularly when the advance in value is taken into consideration.* 

* Since the above was prepared for the press, the writer hereef has ascertained that this land consists of the following lols, viz. three 
roods and thirty-'even perches, upon Golds- wong-hill, improperly called Gooseham-bill, marked No. 21 8 in the Clayfield survey ; and two 
leys in these fields, near the Mansfield-road, containing three roods and five perches, marked No. 184. There is a parcel of land in these 
fields belonging to the sexton, for the time being, of St. Mary's parish, but the author knows not the origin of the bequest : it consists of two 
roods aud three perches, beiug part of a plot called Stonewatering-leys, and is marked 31 1 in the survey. 



144 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM, 



As the parish officers are not trustees, as directed by the existing- will of a testator, for this or 
the Pilcher-gate charity, but merely agents for the parish, such charities are bona fide parish 
property ; and therefore any burgess partaking of their benefits is disfranchised from voting for a 
member of parliament. 

WOOLLEY s BEAD-HOUSES. 

Concerning this charity, Deering speaks in the following words, viz. " Thomas Woolley, late 
" of Nottingham, gent, by his last will, bearing date the 14th of April, 1647, gave to the parish 
" of St. Mary, two cottages and appurtenances, situated in a place called Beck-lane, the one to be 
" divided into two tenements, so that both might hold three poor persons, to be placed therein at 
" the discretion of the minister, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor for the time being. He 
( also left a rent charge of 40s. per annum, to provide two gowns yearly of 20s. value each, for 
" the bead-folk, and if there be no need, to employ the money in the repairs of the bead-houses. 
" These 40s. are at this time paid by Mr. Clifford Harrison, 13s. 4d. and by Mr. Featherstone, 
" 6s. 8d. half yearly. This is an airy wholesome place, and the parish has built two apartments 
" over the old ones for two poor people more." 

The correct state of the case seems to be, that the two cottages formed one connective building 
of two rooms, both on the ground floor ; that one was double the size of the other ; and that a 
partition wall, run across the larger one, was merely necessary to complete the testator's design, in 
respect to the number of dwellings ; that the parish, afterwards, built three apartments over the 
old ones; and that the appurtenances alluded to consisted of a piece of land in front of the building, 
which was divided into small plots of garden ground for the conveniency of the occupiers of the 
charity, about one hundred yards of which were leased, in 1812, to the late Mr. J. W. Caunt, 
maltster, for the term of fifty years, at two guineas annual rent ; which rent is equally divided 
among the six occupiers.* The old people complain, that Mr. Caunt inclosed more land than he 
had agreed for with the parish officers; this however, the writer leaves to their successors to inquire 
into, not doubting but they will render justice to the parties, having on his part communicated to 
them the old people's complaints. It is proper to state here, that this is the land alluded in the 
account of the Pilcher-gate alms-houses, as being directed to be built upon, by a resolution of the 
vestry, which resolution, in the humble opinion of the writer hereof, has been improperly 
contravened. 

Mr. Featherstone, a descendent of the gentleman of that name, mentioned by Deering, pays 
thirteen shillings and fourpence yearly to one of the occupiers of the lower rooms ; and the 
executors of the late Mr. Caunt pay thirteen shillings and fourpence to each of the other two ; 
those persons who occupy the upper rooms receiving no regular stipend, except their share of the 
two guineas, as named above. The churchwardens, in the ^xercise of their discretionary disposal 
of certain portions of the sacrament money, give to these poor people a few hundreds of coal in 

* On the 2d of May, 1815, a committee of gentlemen was appointed in St. Mary's vestry to examine into the validity of this and other 
leases; -ond power was given to take legal advice ou the subject, at the expense of the parish. 



woolley's bead-houses — willoughby's hospital. 145 



the winter season,, and sometimes a little money ; and it is somewhat entertaining to hear them 

descant on the virtues of those gentlemen, who are the most liberal on these occasions. A slate in 

front of the building contains the following inscription : — 

These Bead-Houses 

were built by 

Thomas Woolley, Gent* 

Anno Domini, 1647, 

and repaired by 

James Dale, } ~ 

r> r» ? Churchwardens. 

IIobert Booth, ^ 

Anno Domini, 1809. 

WILLOUGHBY s HOSPITAL, 

Of this institution, Deering speaks thus: — " Thomas Willoughby, by his last will, dated the 
" 4th of September, 1524, and proved the 1 1th of May, 1525, left to his wife and children in trust, 
" and after the death of his executors, to the churchwardens of St. Mary's for ever, a close in 
" Fisher-gate and two gardens in Moot-hall-gate, the rents and profits thereof to be employed in 
" the reparation of his alms-houses on Malin-hill, and, if repairs be not wanting, to be bestowed 
" on fuel for the said bead-folk ; out of this each churchwarden to have sixpence for his trouble." 
Our author further says, — " The whole rents belonging to Willoughby's bead-houses for five poor 
" widows, are at present £9 10s. Besides this, William Willoughby, grandson of the founder, 
" left to the bead-folk on Malin-hill, an annuity of ten shillings a year to be laid out in wood or 
" coal. 

The hospital, and some tenements thereunto belonging, called Willoughby-row, now stand 
in the close above alluded to; but, from what property the ten shillings a year emanate, I have 
not been able to learn : the money is paid to one of the old people (who divides it among the rest) 
at the bank of Moore, Maltby and Co. on an order being produced from the senior churchwarden. 

Deering states the building originally to have consisted of jive dwellings : and, as there were 
si*, a considerable time previous to the removal of the whole, that will account for the following 
circumstance, as it has been related to me by elderly persons, viz. that about 1758, (for I have not 
been very particular about the year, conceiving it of little consequence) the grandfather of the late 
Mr. Archer, sinkermaker, who is stated to have dwelt in Narrow-marsh at that time, being 
churchwarden, sold a part of the estate in Friar-lane which belongs to this foundation, and with 
the proceeds thereof, built an additional habitation. 

In the close, where now stands the hospital, stood formerly eight small houses ; and it appears 
from Deering that one Richard Hooton, a plasterer, obtained a lease of the whole premises, for 
fifty vears, in 1705, at the annual rent of five pounds ; that he sold a part of the said leasehold, to 
one George Merring, who built three other tenements upon it; and that Hooton sold the remainder 
of his interest in the said lease to one Joseph Hart, a tallow-chandler, who erected another 
tenement; and who, in the year 1720, obtained a renewal of his part of the lease for sixty years 
longer. Deering describes this as a cunning and dishonorable fellow, for he states him to have 

2 O 



146 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



obtained a lease of the whole, at the expiration of the original lease, for the time above specified, 
lo the exclusion of Merring* and his heirs, though the latter had built three houses on his part of 
(he "round. Query, did not the churchwardens receive a fee ? At the expiration of this lease, 
in 1780, the present hospital was built; though Throsby, whose publication did not appear till 
1791, states the old building still to be standing on Malin-hill, notwithstanding it was taken down 
the same year that the new one was erected. 

Mr. Morris, whose name has already been mentioned, when speaking of St. Mary's church, 
having a great desire to add the site on which the old building stood to his garden at the south 
front of his house on Short-hill, agreed with the churchwardens for the same, on a lease of two 
hundred years, on condition of erecting twelve comfortable dwellings upon the estate near 
Pennyfoot-stile, and paying five shillings a year ground rent ; six of which dwellings to be on the 
ground floor, and six one story above them. The building was accordingly erected, contiguous to 
three tenements on the east and three on the west, which belong to the foundation. 

In the front of these hospitals is a stone bearing this inscription : — 

Willoughby's Hospital removed from Malin-Hill. 

John Peppir and> „ 

., T > Church wardens, 

William Lowe, ^ 

1780. 

The following was the state of this charity in 1807, at which time the principal materials for 

this chapter were collected : — g. s . d. 

Each of the six poor persons who occupied the lower apartments, received half yearly} 



2 2 
from the churchwardens ...__...--.-----.-- ) 

Those occupying the upper apartments received .....--.-._._ 180 

Which made an annual total of ......... ~ --.____. 42 

The rent of the estate at that time was as follows : — 

IN FRIAR-LANE. 
Stabling belonging to the Lion Hotel, (Lord Carrington lessee) -- - -■- ■- ^ - - . 10 

Mr. Sheldon's premises, joiner ................... 10 

IN CARTER-GATE. 
The Half Moon public-house, &c.held on lease by Mr. S. Beardsley - ...... 10 

Three tenements at the east end, and three at the west end of the hospital - ----- 25 5 

55 5 

In 1807, the property in Carter-gate produced to the lessee the following rents :-— 

The Half Moon public-house - - - ■- -. - - ... _ . . _ _ . . . _ 34 6 

A range of stabling and cow houses ........---_---. 10 

A framesmith's Shop ... .„-.„_-_. - > . -. „ . »''-_"._ .» .. Q 

50 

There is also a building comprehended in this lease, which joins the house of Mr. Halford, 
cooper, and which was occupied by him as a parlour.* This parlour has since been converted 
into a dwelling-house, and lets for five pounds a year. The framesmith's shop has since been let 



"* Mr. Halford's house belongs to -Plumptre's- charity, and is held -by Mr. Beardstey ea lease, who lets it to Mr. Halford. 



WILLOUGHBY'S HOSPITAL BRIDGE MASTERS' HOSPITAL. 147 



to a bricklayer of the the name of Lane, at four guineas rent; and it is now occupied by a person 
of the name of Blount, at five pounds rent, as the author is informed. 

In 1810, the lease of the Lion Hotel stables in Friar-lane expired, and anew one was granted 
to Mr. Charles Porter, for the term of twenty-one years, at the annual rent of sixty-seven pounds ; 
and on condition of his laying five hundred pounds out on the premises. This will give the reader 
an idea of the manner in which the old lease was granted. The same year the three dwellings at 
the west end of the hospital were converted into six additional apartments for old people ; and 
shortly after another was added, which makes the whole numbers of dwellings upon this foundation 
nineteen, and every occupier now receives from the churchwardens five pounds four shillings a 
year, at half yearly payments, which makes the allowance to this hospital amount annually to 
j£95 16s. The income to meet which is, £, s . d. 

From Mr. Beardsley's lease .---------.., 10 

From Mr Sheldon's lease 10 00 

Rent of three houses at the east end of the hospital --..-16 00 

From Porter's lease -.---...--.-.-. - 67 00 

103 

The leases on this charity will expire in the following order, viz. Sheldon's in 1819 — Porter's in 
'1821— Beardsley's in 1830— and. Morris's in .1980. 

BRIDGEMASTERS' HOSPITAL. 

On the north side, and nearthe top of Barker-gate, stood, till 1812, when they were taken down., 
five miserable looking thatched huts, in the presentation of the Bridgemasters ; and the only 
donation which the occupiers received, as connected with the foundation, was two shillings each on 
St. Thomas' day. It is in the contemplation of the Corporation to rebuild this hospital in a 
respectable manner at some future time. 

The origin of this institution is now lost ; but had it formed a part of the royal bequest of 
Edward the Sixth, it would have been named in the deed of that monarch, which conveyed to the 
Corporation certain lands for the support of the Trent-bridge ; therefore it is fair to conclude that 
this hospital was built by the Bridgemasters out of the surplus of their rents, arising from the 
bridge estate, before any part of that estate was parcelled out into burgess parts; the latter 
expedient, very probably, being adopted by the Bridgemasters in preference to that of erecting 
more houses, by way of giving a wider diffusion to their benefactions. 

The site whereon this hospital stood, and what was used as garden ground by the occupiers, is 
a most eligible one indeed, and might be made highly advantageous to those persons who may 
hereafter become objects of the Bridgemasters' bounty. It possesses three uninterruptable fronts 
— the north and east being bounded by what is called, the new burying ground, and the south by 
Barker-gate, which is now a clean, airy, well paved street ; nor is the western extremity of this 
land entirely devoid of advantage, as a road leads by it into Felix-place. The south and north 
fronts are each 32 feet, and the east and west 64, which give an area of 512 square yards, which 
<considering:the entire and unobstructable situation of the whole, would sell for as many pounds.-— 



148 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

Now, supposing the Corporation to devote as much waste land, at a nominal ground rent, as would 
admit the erecting of six dwellings upon it, which, unitedly, should cost three hundred pounds, op 
thereabouts, there would still remain a surplus of two hundred pounds, the interest of which might 
be distributed among the occupiers, in coal, or otherwise, except what was necessary to keep the 
building in repair. 

In the year 1808, the author hereof had the honor of submitting the above scheme to one of the 
gentleman Bridgcmasters, who expressed his approbation of it, and promised to use his influence 
to carry it into execution, or some other, equally advantageous to the occupiers of the hospital. 

PATTEJVs ALMS HOUSE. 

It appears that John Patten, a brickmaker of this town, by a nuncupatory will, made on the 8th 
of October, 1651, left a tenement in Barker-gate, near the end of Maiden-lane, to be converted 
into an alms-house for two poor persons ; that George Arnall and Stephen Hill, two of his 
workmen, were his executors, and that. the rents arising from the houses which they respectively 
occupied, near the before-named tenement, being also the founder's property, should be applied for 
ever to the keeping the said alms-house in repair, or, when repairs were not necessary, the same to 
be given in coal, or otherwise, to the occupiers of his said alms-house: the said Hill and Arnall, 
and their successors, to have the presentation respectively between them. It appears also, that, 
shortly after the death of the executors their successors disputed about the presentation ; that the 
persons dwelling in the alms-house had each six shillings per annum as an endowment ; and that, 
in consequence of such dispute, the successor of Arnall, whose name was Johnson, refused to pay 
his share of the annual stipend to the day of his death. 

The premises which were possessed by Hill are now the property of Mr. Richard Smith, long 
known as foreman in the lace and hosiery warehouse of Mr. Thomas Hayne and Co. ; and that 
part which fell into the hands of Arnall, afterwards became the property of one Dunn, a shoemaker, 
into whose family a person of the name of Morley intermarried, and thus became seized of that 
part of the founder's estate. While this part of the estate remained in the possession of Johnson, 
who married Arnall's daughter, he built a new house on the site of the old one, where, till within 
the last forty-eight years, dwelt a pipemaker, and where now stands the Punch Bowl public-house^' 
the lease of which was bought some years ago, of Fillingham Morley and his brother for the term 
of their respective lives, by a person of the name of Spearing, now a soldier, whose wife at this 
time keeps the house. 

Within the last, fifty years, as the author is informed, the two dwellings, which constituted the 
alms-house, have been taken down, and two others built, on the east side of Maiden-lane, which 
consist of one room each on the ground floor, and which are now occupied by two old widows. — 
That which stands towards the north is in the presentation of the afore-named Mr. Smith, who 
pays to the occupier six shillings and sixpence every half year ; and that standing nearest the 
Punch Bowl is in the presentation of the lessee of that house, who also pays six shillings and 
sixpence half yearly to the occupier. The owner or lessee of the Punch Bowl, till 1812, paid a 



bilby's hospital. 149 



shilling- a year to the occupier of the dwelling in the presentation of Mr. Smith ; but Mrs. 
Spearing now refuses to pay this trifle, which may therefore be considered as lost. No attention 
is now paid by the presentors to the keeping the premises in repair. 

BILBY s HOSPITAL. 

William Bilby, a native of this town, was one of those eccentric characters whose foibles are 
not censureable, if not even sometimes commendable, because the motive of action springs from 
purity of intention. Censure and reprobation are due on such occasions only when the conduct, 
which characterizes eccentricity, arises from dishonest or dishonorable motives ; and not when a 
commixture of error and honesty forms the lever. 

The singular character we are speaking of followed the practice of surgery, of chymistry, of 
physic, of astronomy, and of astrology : he was also a shoemaker and a poet.* The following 
inscription, as written by himself, was engraven on a stone in front of the hospital, but it is now 
wholly obliterated : — 

The starry science I profess, * Ye men of wealth, 

And surgery withal, X Whilst now in health, 

The chymical, among the rest, s Hearken to the cries, 

And physic rational. \ The poor redress, 

God gave and blessed \ And God will bless 

What I possessed, 5 Your evening sacrifice. 

And part of it I lent j By WlLLiJk BlLBY, 

Unto the poor, \ ,» , L r . 

'• ■ 5 in the 63d Year of his Age, 

i< or evermore, < 

So raised this monument. 5 *iw^. 

No doubt, this singular character was considered the town oracle in his day ; and, to the various 
arts and sciences which he professed, it is quite clear we may add the amiable qualities which 
constitute the philanthropist ; for, as he possessed the one thing needful, he took care to leave a part 
of it to the needy, which circumstance forms a set-off against his folly in professing the sideral art. 

The direct heirs of our philanthropist became extinct about the year 1796, by the death of a 
gentleman of the name of Bilby, long known in this town from the oddity of his manners, and for 
his being the editor of the Nottingham Journal. His wages as an editor are stated to have 
consisted in the pleasure he took in the employment; and, at his death, he bequeathed the pincipal 
part of his property to Mr. George Burbage, proprietor of that paper; thus prefering him, who 
was rich, to some distant relations, who were poor. — Though he inherited the principal part of the 
property, he did not inherit the spirit of his worthy ancestor. John Parr, a poor man, who had 
long been blind, and who died in 1814, upwards of eighty years of age, was the son of Catharine 
Parr, who was the daughter of a Mrs Wood, whose maiden name was Bilby, and, according to 
information received on the subject, was sister to the generous founder of this charity. The said 
John Parr left one son and two daughters, namely, William Parr, Catharine Dewick, and Hannah 



* Though On- regular business ol our benefaotbr'is not mentioned in the inscription , his having been a shoemaker is not the less true 
on that account; that circumstance having been assertained from another quarter. 

2 P 



150 H1STOJIY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

Fry, the whole of whom are working- people, and had families at the time the late Bilby died ; 
therefore he had a choice of needy relatives among whom to have disposed of his property, which 
was far from being inconsiderable, if he had been justly or generously disposed ; and. according to 
traditional opinion, they had a right to a considerable part of it; but they had not the means of 
pursuing it through the perverting mazes of the law. 

The hospital stands on the south side and near the east end of St. John's-street , and consists of 
eight single room dwellings, four on the upper, and four on the ground floor. At the east end of 
the apartments are eight well built coalsheds, and at the back are the satne number of distinct 
pantries, well guarded against the effects of the sun : there is also a well of good water. At the west 
end of the hospital is a plot of ground, about 75 feet by 32, which is equally divided into 8 gardens. 

Formerly, each occupier had a twopenny loaf a week, a ton of coal a year; and, on Christmas-day 
the mayor made a practice of dining with the whole, and after dinner, of giving them a shilling- 
each, and dividing the broken victuals among them. In process of time the size of the loaf was 
increased to a threepenny one; but, in 1SQ4, Alderman Ashwell, during his first mayoralty, 
ordered the allowance of bread to be a sixpenny loaf a week, which stili continues ; and, at 
Christmas, they have thirty or forty hundred of coal, and three shillings to buy a Christmas dinner; 
the old practice of the mayor's dining with them being abandoned some time ago. 

The estate belonging to this bospital consists of the Black Swan public-house in Goose-gate, 
and several contiguous tenements, the whole of which was leased to William \} esson, on the 4th 
of March, 1794, for the term of seventy years, at the annual rent of <£16 ; on condition, that, 
"" within the first twenty years of the term, the lessee should lay out four hundred pounds at the 
" least, in pulling down the public-house and house adjoining, part of the demised premises, and in 
" rebuilding the same upon a line, as per plan"— vide, lease. On the 17th of December, 1813, this 
lease was transferred to Joseph Buller, in the corporate books ■ the Corporation being the sole 
guardians of the estate, and presenters of the charity. In 1808, the rental of this estate,, in Che 

hands of the lessee, stood as follows : — 

£. s. d. 

Mr. Savage* 40 9 

Mr. Marsh 10 10 

Fronting Goose-sate. -( Mr. Tims ------- 770 

Mr. Hollands ------ 6 10 

.Mr. Frere -- 5 50 

r m ■ 7, f Mr. Talbot 4 

in J-wig-alley. - - J 

(Mr. Fawkcs 4 

'Mr. AddingstaU" ----- 500 

T Mr. Waldram ------ 440 

■In Wing-alleu - - J 

s Mr. Thomas - 4 4 

Mr. Warsop ------ 3 10 

94 10 O 



* When Mr. Wesson left the public-house he lftt.it .to Mr. Savage al the rent stated— the other persons named occupied separate 
tenements under the lessee. 



bilby's hospital — gbegoky's white-bents. 151 



In the face of this statement it oiaj be proper to say, that the Corporation are about eight pounds 
a year losers by this charity, when ihe expenses of repairs, of which they are not sparing, are 
taken into the account. Among tb few happy moments of the author's life, those may be set down 
as such, which he spent ia exan i ling this hospital. The humble apartment which he entered 
appeared like a little paradise — neatness, cleanliness, and usefulness smiled upon every utensil ; but, 
the brightest ornament m it was its venerable occupier. The unerring ploughshare of time bad 
furrowed deep her brow ; and the busy banc! of age had bleached her tresses white; yet intelligence 
beamed in her eyes — gratitude swelled hei heart — and communication perched upon her lips. — 
What modest and becoming praise did she bestow upon Alderman Ashwell, for his having, 
unsolicitedly, doubled the allowance of bread ! May he long continue to merit the praise you give 
him, mv good woman, was the answer ; and may others follow the example be has set them ! Yes, 
said she, I hope he will ; for they that relieve the widow, not only deserve our approbation and 
commendation, but they receive a sweet solace in the mind, from having followed the precepts of 
the great Redeemer, who will also doubly reward them hereafter. 

The reader will have the goodness to pardon these little digressions, as they furnish food to the 
author's mind, when harrassed with painful investigation. The pleasure which he takes in recording 
the good actions of men, and the unaffected and honest effusions which flow spontaneously from 
grateful hearts, fully compensates him for the great trouble he has undergone in collecting materials 
for this composition. And, if stern and benumbing poverty, with its train of grim attendants, 
should beset his dying pillow, he will find a consolation in having done his duty, which is denied to 
guilt, though surrounded with sycophants, and clad in purple robes. The tremendous waves of 
adversity which buffet us, as we struggle through the sea of life, are always either heightened, or 
.in some degree subdued, when the hour of dissolution arrives, by reflecting on the past conduct of 
our lives. Then the butterfly-tinsel of sycophantic adulation nauseates on the guilty mind ; while 
the consciousness of having done our duty, inspires us with the brightening prospect of " another 
*•* and a better world." 

GREGORY'S WHITE-REJVTS. 

Lord Coke, in his commentary on Magna Charta, states white-rents and quit-rents to signify 
the same thing- but, as Biackstone is much clearer on the subject, we will give his words to the 
reader. " Rents of assise," says that able civilian, "are the certain established rents of the 
" freeholders and ancient copyholders of a manor, which cannot be departed from or varied." 
" Those of the freeholders are frequently called chief rents, reditus capitales ; and both sorts are 
f e indifferently denominated quit-rents, guieti reditus ; because thereby the tenant goes quite free 
" of all other services. When these payments were reserved in silver, or white money, they were 
ic anciently called white-rents, or blanchfarms, reditus albi; in contradistinction to rents reserved 
** in work, grain, &c. which were called reditus nigri, or black maile." 

William Gregory, gent, town clerk of Nottingham, by his will, dated in 1613, bequeathed eleven 
tenements, situated en the south side and near the bottom of Hounds'-gate, for the use of the same 



152 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



number of poor persons or families for ever, such persons belonging- respectively to one of the 
three parishes ; and he entailed a ground rent of forty shillings a year upon a close, called 
Baycroft-closc, near Bluebell-hill in the Clayfields, to keep them in repair.* These tenements, 
very probably, obtained the appellation of white-rents from the estate being one of the last in the 
town for which the owner paid a quit-rent to the Peverel family — the transition from quit-rent to 
white-rent being fully explained above from Blackstone. As Mr. Gregory was a servant to the 
corporate body of this town, so he constituted them the guardians of his charity ; but, from some 
motives for which it seems difficult to account, they leased the whole of the white-rents, in equal 
portions, to the three parishes, on the 4th of September, 1732, (which leases commenced on the 
25th of March in the same year) for the term of 999 years, for the mere consideration of a pepper 
corn rent. 

The sacrifice of patronage which the Corporation thus made was a consideration wholly their 
own ; but their giving up the charity is lamentable, inasmuch as by its falling into the hands of 
self-interested or indifferent churchwardens and overseers, the forty shillings a year, payable from 
the holder of Baycroft-close is now likely to be lost ; whereas, had the Corporation continued to 
be the claimants this would not have been the case. After the leases were granted this money was 
paid regularly to the several parishes in divisions of thirteen shillings and fourpence each, till from 
carelesness or design — perhaps both — the money was withheld. Certain it is, however, that it was 
paid by Mr. Thomas Evison, as renter of the close, about the year 1794; and certain it is also, 
that, since Mr. William Stretton was chosen churchwarden of St. Mary's, which, if I mistake not, 
was in the year 1802, this money has never been paid, he becoming proprietor of the close in 
question about that time.f Mr. Robert Booth, as senior churchwarden, went to Mr. Stretton, and 
made a formal demand of this money, in 1811, when the latter refused to pav it, on the pretext, 
that, as the zchite-rents had been removed from Hounds'-gate he thought he eould not he 
compelled to pay the money ; and thus the matter rested, in May, 1815 ; and thus, 1 doubt, it will 
for ever rest. 

That part of the white-rents which was allotted to St. Peter's parish, was converted into a 
workhouse ; and the other parishes neglected to keep their parts in repair, till, to reside in them 
was a mark of reproach. They at length became the recepticle only for sweeps, tinkers, 
rag-gatherers, beggars, pedlers, prostitutes of the lowest class, and vermin ; and, being in the heart 
of the town, public opinion exerted itself to have them removed, as a common nuisance. This 
object was accomplished in 1788 — the parishes sold their leases ; and the ground on which they 
stood is now occupied with a range of tradesmens' houses. St. Peter's parish obtained a plot 
of ground in Broad-marsh whereon to erect a workhouse. St. Mary's parish erected twelve 
single room dwellings on the north side of York-street, nearly opposite to the back of the 
workhouse. 






* This close is bounded on the west by Wood-lane; and, in the Clayfield survey is marked 399. 
J- Mr. Stretton served the office of churchwarden tour succeeding years, as the choice of the vicar. 



GREGORY'S WHITE-RENTS — COLLIN'S HOSPITAL. 153 



On the front of these is a stone bearing the following inscription : — 

These Alms-Houses built iv lieu ov the White-Rents 

late in hounds'-gate, a. d. 1788. 

Richard Featherstone,) ~ 

-.T.7- jr > Church wardens. 

William Kelk, 5 

William Abnett,) ~ 

T n > Overseers. 

John Coleman, ) 

St. Nicholas's erected eight of a similiar description, on the north bank of the Leen, between 

Finkhill-street and Greyfriars-gate. None of the poor occupiers have any allowance ; while, as a 

deduction upon the charity itself, the overseers of St. Mary's, in 1807, demanded the manure from 

the persons in the dwellings at their disposal ; which practice, I hope more unwittingly than 

designedly adopted, is still pursued. 

COLLIJYs HOSPITAL. 

Abel Collin, by his last will and testament, dated February the 4th, 1704, left the remainder of 
his personal estate, after legacies and other bequests had been discharged, to his nephew, Mr. 
Thomas Smith, in trust for his building and endowing this hospital. In 1709, Mr. Smith executed 
this part of the worthy founder's will in a manner highly to his credit, by erecting a fabric, 
handsome, commodious, and durable, consisting of twenty-four dwellings, for the accommodation of 
a like number of poor widows and widower*, there being a good house-place and closet on the 
ground floor, and two good chambers on the second story. The rooms are also very lofty, a 
circumstance which does credit both to the head and heart of the executor. The premises are 
bounded on the north by Friar-lane, on the east by Spaniel-row, on the south by Hounds'-gate, 
and, partly on the west by the Baptists' chapel, and partly Tsy other buildings which run to 
Hounds'-gate. The building consists of two separate erections, one of which contains twenty, and 
the other four dwellings ; the whole of which is ornamented with rustic stone work, which, now it 
is kept in a proper state of painting, gives a good effect. The whole is surrounded with a wall, 
which also encloses a well paved walk, and the principal part of which is topt with iron palisades, 
illpon a stone placed in the north front is engraven the following inscription : — 

&W hospital, 

by the appointment of Abel 
Collin, late of Nottingham, 
Mercer, deceased, who in his life 
was of an extensive Charitie 
to the Poor of all Societies, 
and at his death by his last 
Will and Testament, left a 
'competent Estate for erect- 
ing and endowing the same ; <was 
■by his Nephew and Executor 
Thomas Smith, begun and fi- 
nished in the Year 1709 
2-Q 



1 '■ 



154 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



The words in the worthy founder's will, concerning this charity are the following: — "And 1 do 
" nominate and ordain, constitute and appoint, my loving cousin, Mr. Thomas Smith, full and 
" sole executor of this my last will and testament, and for his pains to be taken in the execution of 
" this my last will and testament, I give him the sum of fifty pounds, of lawful money of England, 
" providing always, and it is my mind and will, that the remainder and surplusage of my personal 
" estate, after the full performance of this my last will and testament, and all matters and things 
"■ therein expressed, I do give and bequeath the same unto my said executor of this my last will 
" and testament to be by him employed and bestowed in the building of some little houses and 
u endowing the same for some poor men and women to dwell in, belonging to some of the aforesaid 
" several parishes ;" meaning the parishes of St. Mary, St. Nicholas, and St. Peter in this town. 

The wealthy successors to Mr. Smith, the executor, of which family Lord Carrington is the 1 
head, have conducted themselves with exemplary propriety, as far as an estimate can be formed of 
such conduct by persons not knowing the real value of the endowing estate ; for, independent of 
the expense of repairing the building, which, in 1814 and 15, must have been considerable, the 
allowance to the poor occupiers has been gradually increased in a fair proportion to the increase of 
rents. About forty years ago [it may be a less time, for the author has not an exact statement of 
the year^J this allowance consisted of two shillings a week to each person and thirty hundred of coal a 
year. As the estate increased in value, three shillings were given along with forty hundred of coal; 
and at the present time the money is four shillings, and the quantity of coal continues as last stated. 
There has been some talk of another shilling being added, which probably may be done in a short 
time. The old people in the hospital speak highly of the correctness and punctuality with which 
their money is paid; and there can be no doubt, that a family so distinguished as the Smiths are, 
will ever suffer a monument, so honorable to their ancestry, to go to decay ; for, the writer of this, 
would rather see a monument of this kmd to the memory of his ancestors, than one in Westminster 
Abbey ; though he is far from undervaluing the merits of those worthies whose figures grace that 
ancient fabric. 

LABRAY s HOSPITAL, 

(Erroneously called Labourer's Hospital.) 
Jonathan Labray was a framework-knitter by trade, and resided at Calverton, a village eight 
miles hence, in his younger days ; but having acquired some property, he came to Nottingham and 
and entered upon the hosiery business, and resided, as the author has been informed, in an old 
porched house, still standing, in St. Peter's-gate, opposite to the entrance into the churchyard.' — 
He died an old batchelor, and left his property, which consisted in land at Calverton, in trust to 
Mr. Thomas Smith, the honorable executor to the will of Abel Collin, for him to erect and endow 
an hospital in Nottingham for poor and aged framework-knitters : an annual rent charge was also 
entailed upon the estate for the support of a school at Calverton. The date of Mr. Labray Vwill, 
the time of his death, or the precise period at which the hospital was erected, I have not been able 
to ascertain; but, that all these circumstances took place about the close of the seventeenth century 
there seems little doubt, from Mr. Thomas Smith being the founder's executor, and from the 
interior formation of the dwellings, of which this hospital consists, corresponding with those in 



LABRAY'S HOSPITAL — LAMBLEY HOSPITAL. 155 



■ 



Friar-lane ; which formed the subject of the preceding article. There is reason to believe, 
however, that Labray's hospital was erected a short time previous to that of Collin's, because the 
latter, till very lately, bore the distinctive appellation of " The new hospital ;" though, considering 
the whimsicality of custom, this is not to be depended on as a sure criterion. 

The building stands upon a most eligible site on the north side of the Derby-road ; and consists 
of six dwellings in one uniform row. There are also conveniences behind, such as a well of good 
water, a private vault, and to each a plot of garden ground about the size of the respective houses. 
The whole is kept in a good state of repair. 

Some time after Mr. Smith had erected this hospital, which he endowed with one shilling and 
tenpence a week to each dwelling, as Deering states it, he found a poor female relation of the 
founder's, and gave her two hundred pounds as a marriage dowry ; on which account he reduced 
the allowance to the school to six pounds a year, and it continues so at the present time.* 

The estate, from which this charity emanates, was let on lease for fifty years, at fifty pounds 
annual rent, which lease expired in 1807, when the rent was doubled. This induced an opinion, 
that the allowance of the hospital would be advanced, which, however, was retarded by the great 
repairs which the hospital required ; but, in January, 1811, the expectations of the poor occupiers 
were in some degree realized by having their pay increased to three shillings a week ; and in 
December, 1813, this was further increased to four shillings a week. 

It seems our benefactor was no friend to the fair sex — probably he had conceived a disgust 
against them from some disappointment in a love affair; for he left a strict injunction, that on the 
death of the husband, the widow should not enjoy the benefit of his charity; which injunction is 
strictly attended to ; for, on the death of one of the occupiers, if he leave a widow, she is immediately 
under the necessity of quitting the premises ; that is, as soon as the corpse is removed. 

LAMB LEY HOSPITAL. 

Previous to entering on the particulars of this hospital, it may be proper to premise, that the 
corporate body of Nottingham, during more than a century, have appropriated the rent of an 
estate, which they possess at Lambley, a village seven miles hence, towards apprenticing poor 
burgesses' boys ; a charity which has hitherto passed unnoticed by every writer that has touched 
on the affairs of Nottingham. In 1794, when Lambley lordship was inclosed, the measure and 
annual value of this estate were made in seven different allotments as follows : — 

A. R. P. £. s. d. 

18 2 4 - 14 17 5 

21116- -.17 17 

17 3 14 .... ~ 14 5 5 

16 16 14 10 

03 18 17 

24 36 17 00 

4 2 30 - 350 

103 2 14 ~"8TT6 5 



* This school was erected by a public subscription raised by the inhabitants of the village; but Samuel Smith, Esq. trustee to the 
charity, keeps it in repair. 



15G HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



This money (or whatever the sum might be) was regularly disposed of by the Corporation, in 
common hall assembled, to such burgesses as they thought most deserving towards putting their 
sons out apprentices, till 181 1, vvhen it was determined to dispose of it in another way. At its first 
appropriation, and a number of years after, it was divided into four pound shares ; but as the 
claimants began to increase very fast, each share was reduced to three pounds ; and this plan 
continued till the Corporation, very properly, determined to appropriate the income of the estate 
to the erecting an hospital, to which they gave the name of Lambley Hospital, for the 
accommodation of such poor burgesses or their widows, as might, from age or otherwise, become 
objects of their bounty.* The foundation of this hospital was laid by Edward Swann, Esq. 
mayor, on Monday the 2d of November, 1812; and one of the dwellings was occupied by 
William \A heatley, an old burgess, on the 6th of March following ; and the others were occupied 
in succession as they were got ready. The building consists of two wings and a back centre, 
which contain twenty-two dwellings, with a pantry and rock cellar to each — it stands on a most 
delightful spot near the top of the Derby-road, with the front facing the south, while every door 
opens upon a well flagged path which surrounds a beautiful plot of greensward. Every attention 
which architectural design, combined with neatness and simplicity, could dispense, has been 
bestowed upon these habitations, to render them comfortable retreats to old age. At present, 
however, there is no endowment: nor can any be expected till the rent of the estate has discharged 
the cost of building ; and then it will be entirely optional on the part of the corporate body.f 

The occupiers of the charity are considered tenants at will ; every succeeding mayor being 
considered as the immediate dispenser of the bounty ; though this regulation, it is presumed, is 
not intended to produce any other effect, than that of enabling the mayor to remove any of the 
occupiers, whose conduct might render them unworthy objects of public bounty, and who might be 
troublesome to their peaceable and aged neighbours. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE ALMS-HOUSES. 

It would require the pen of a Howard and the descriptive genius of a Crabbe to give full effect 
to the various sensations which operate On the mind of the sentimental philosopher while visiting 
these monuments of piety and munificence. Here the visitor will see the stems or trunks, that 
once supported athletic vigour, and others that were adorned with the glowing and irresistable 
charms of captivation, drooping to meet the stroke -of death. Here he will see wretchedness 
surrounded with filth, and comfort in the centre of cleanliness. In some of the habitations he will 
hear the bitterest complaints against those who are supposed to withhold some part of the founder's 
bequest; while in others the melodious sound of praise will vibrate in his ears, in honor of the 
benefactors and guardians. The writer hereof visited them all; and, of the situation of all he has 



* An indenture in nrry possession made out in the nartie of Solomon Baker, and dated 1708, acknowledges the receipt of four, pounds of 
the Lambley money. , 

$■ A person of the name of William Robinson offered £400 rent for this estate; but, in 181 V, the Corporation reduced it to j£340, in 
consequence of the price of grain falling; and the tenant then 1 thought it much too high, as he himself informed me in -the spring of }8!6j 
whtu he was in quest of another farm. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE ALMS-HOUSES. 157 



endeavoured to eive a true relation : and, if any one should be offended at the frankness therein 
displayed, or at what may follow on this subject, he is recommended to take the import of the next 
words into consideration — The man that censures another for having done his duty, betrays 
either perverseness of disposition, or a consciousness of having committed deeds which would 
blacken his character in the face of day ; while unwittingly he is dealing out praise to him, 
whose good name he is seeking to stigmatize. 

It must be manifest to every man of candour, who has attentively perused the foregoing- part of 
this chapter, that very serious evils have resulted from the trustees of some of the charities having 
let those estates on long leases from which the attending endowments emanate. The writer hereof 
could mention one ca>e in which a sum of £40 was given to the relation of a lessor, which, of 
course, would produce a contract highly disadvantageous to the poor and aged objects of the 
founder's bequest, and whose interest it was his duty to have considered ; but, as even no common 
ruffian would be disposed to covet the possession of his character, his name shall not be inserted 
here. This, however, ought not to be the less a warning to other casual trustees ; for another 
writer may not be inclined to spare a wretch, merely through the fear of sullying his pages with 
such names. 

It is too much the case with men, who have no immediate interest in upholding these institutions, 
to content themselves with saying, when they see the buildings tumbling in ruins, — Y It is a pity, 
" to be sure, to see the monuments, which were raised by the hand of benevolence in past ages, 
c: either converted to purposes opposed to the pious intentions of their founders, or suffered to go 
" to decay ; but then, it is no business of mine." If the suffering these buildings to go to decay, 
or seeing their respective endowments applied to purposes different to what they were intended, 
are gross perversions of justice, most assuredly the fugitive answer above named is a gross 
perversion both of common sense and common prudence. For, if the principles of humanity to 
the living, and of justice to the good deeds of the dead, will not stimulate men to action, the seldom 
sleeping principle of self-interest, one would think, would have the desired effect; as all, except 
immediate speculators, have a common interest in preserving those habitations and endowments, 
the object of which is to keep poor people off their parish. And, for want of the business being taken 
up in an authoritive manner, it may be easily seen, by looking over the list of public charities, that 

many evils have resulted to society — We will shew one most glaring instance. Margary Mellors, 

widow, (independent of some property which she bequeathed to the Corporation in trust, towards 
keeping the Trent bridges in repair,) by her last will and testament, dated the 9th of June, 1539, 
left four cottages and their appurtenances on the Low-pavement, which were to be converted into 
an hospital for six poor women for ever ; the mayor of the town, and rector of St. Peter's parish 
for the time being, to be perpetual trustees of and presenters to the charity. They stood on the 
north side of the street, and included a stable and garden, &c. and, from information handed down 
from generation to generation in the family of Simpsons, which occupied the Artichokes public-house 
in Pepper-street, during a succession of ages, it appears that the assembly rooms and some adjacent 
buildings now stand upon the premises which this worthy widow had devoted to charitable purposes. 
M e may also mention a charity, left by Robert Sherwin, for the benefit of six poor widows of St. 

2 R 



158 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Peter's parish, the payment of which, a few years ago, was withheld. Public apathy would 
have seen the widows robbed of their mites, had not Dr. Staunton, then rector of the parish, 
stepped forwards on the occasion, in a manner highly to his credit, both as a clergyman and a 
gentleman. 

To remedy the glaring evils which arise out of the avariciousness of executors, and the neglect 
or dishonesty of guardians, the author begs leave to submit the following plan : — 

1st. A committee to be established, called " The committee of benefactions," to consist of the 
Mayor, two Aldermen, and the senior Churchwardens of the three parishes. 

2dly. Such committee to order a copy of the will of every testator that has bequeathed any 
legacy, great or small, to all, or any of the three parishes. 

3dly. The copies of wills thus procured, to be kept in the guildhall ; and access to be had to 
them under the local regulations of the committee. 

4thly. One day in the year to be appropriated to an investigation into the state of the hospitals, 
as well respecting the buildings, as the manner in which their respective endowments are paid. On 
which day (or at some other specified time) the churchwardens to produce copies of leases, bonds* 
debentures, &c. which they may have executed, on account of public charities, by virtue of their 
office, in the course of the preceeding year ; and also an account of all minor charities which may- 
have passed through their hands. 

othly. If, at such investigation, any of the charities remain unpaid, the person or persons, whose 
duty it was to have paid them, to be served with proper notices, signed by the chairman of the 
committee, giving him, her, or they to understand, if such money, or moneys, be not paid within a 
time therein specified, that law proceedings will be commenced for the recovery of the same. 

6thly. No churchwarden or other public officer to grant a lease of any charitable property, of 
which he may be the trustee by virtue of his office, without first consulting the committee of 
benefactions on the subject ; nor then, except by their advice. 

7thly. All expenses incurred by the committee of benefactions, whether in obtaining copies of 
wills, &c. in prosecutions, for the enforcement of payments depending on charities, or otherwise, to 
be defrayed by a town rate. 

8thly. A professional man to be employed as a secretary, whose duty it should be to keep proper 
records of all proceedings, to warn in the committee to meet, on ordinary as well as extraordinary 
occasions. 

A measure of this kind would be sanctified by public approbation, and its proceedings would be 
converted into law — law, which none but the most abandoned would ever dare to think of violating, 
for fear of immediate expulsion from the ranks of civilized society. The hospitals would be well 
attended to, and, consequently, would be kept in good repair — the endowments would be applied 
in a manner consistent with the intentions of the pious founders and benefactors— an additional 
portion of happiness would be extended to those whose years and infirmities have a peculiar claim 
on our solicitude— the poor would bless the committee ; and the members of the committee would 
feel themselves amply rewarded for their trouble in the enjoyment of those blessings, and in the 
consciousness of having performed a great and public good. 




THE GENERAL HOSPITAL. 




THE GENERAL LUNATIC ASYLUM. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ALMS-HOUSES — GENERAL HOSPITAL. 159 



Most sincerely it is to be hoped, that the too frequently delusive enjoyments of present situation 
will not so far influence any gentleman's mind, as to induce him to think the honorable task, above 
pointed out, beneath his notice— -capricious fortune deals out her favors and her frowns without 
discrimination ; and the man who is floating in wealth to-day, to-morrow may be without a penny. 
The fortunate' circumstance of the German noble's refusing to let his daughter marry a wealthy 
suitor until the latter had learnt a trade, may be contemplated here with proper effect. It is w r ell 
known, that a gentleman who was chief magistrate of Nottingham since the year 1792, who 
possessed the good things of this life in great abundance, and whose popularity and influence were 
most extensive, died, shortly after having passed through the high dignity of his magisterial 
elevation, in the midst of poverty, and of a broken heart, leaving a widow to subsist on the bounty 
of her friends. A gentleman too, whom the author and many of his friends well knew, as the first 
practical attorney in Derbyshire, was reduced about the same time from his distinguished station, 
and by means apparently unaccountable, to the necessity of receiving parochial relief, and even of 
begging from door to door. Wealth, however transient its possession, and though it is not always 
attended with unmixed happiness, will never cease to be desirable to the great bulk of mankind, 
because it seldom fails of furnishing the means of personal gratification, whether such gratification 
be of a virtuous or a vicious kind. Wealth, as far as relates to its own inherent and abstract qualities, 
requires little else than such inherent and abstract qualities as a guarantee ; whereas poverty 
trembles at every approaching blast. Wealth when contrasted with poverty, is like a man armed 
cap-a-pee being opposed to one in an entirely defenceless state. Wealth, like the sturdy oak in the 
forest, braves almost every tempest ; while poverty, like the misletoe or the hop-bind, requires aid 
to give it erection. But. by an honest and judicious management of public charities, even poverty, 
in many instances, may be converted into an asylum for fallen greatness, where the bitter pangs 
of reflection may be deprived of most of their effects by the fostering hand of care. 

GENERAL HOSPITAL. 

The necessity of an institution of this kind had been long and most severely felt, before an 
object so desirable could be accomplished ; the laudable exertions of many humane persons being 
required for its attainment on a scale anywise commensurate with public necessity and public 
expectation. A most commanding spot of ground consisting of two acres, near to the south-western 
extremity of the town, and just without the boundaries thereof, was at length furnished by his 
Grace the Duke of Newcastle and the Corporation of Nottingham conjointly, free of expense, for 
the site of the building, garden, &c. and on the 12th of February, 1781, the foundation stone was 
laid by John Smellie, Esq. mayor, amidst a vast concourse of spectators, on which occasion he 
addressed them in the following words : — 

" Gentlemen, I am come here, at the request of the committee of the general hospital, to lay 
" the foundation stone of that charitable institution. I am well satisfied it will be of considerable 
" advantage to many sick and lame poor, in the present and future ages. When I consider the 
" noble benefactions and generous subscriptions which have been presented, it affords a pleasing 
'• prospect of its utility being continued to posterity. Therefore, in my official character, I think 



100 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



■■itwii iihiiiw iiinwMniwiiriiT— -mrnn-T-TTiMTrtMrior wniiiiiTiwiMmT-rfri-TTfiMi ■lliir , ^"^im»nr'M"iMii»lTairiimii— iiitfiii 



'• it my duty to give countenance and protection to so laudable an undertaking'. I shall be happy 
•• if my conduct meets with your approbation; and I can assure you, that the most acceptable 
•• return you can make to me, will be to preserve peace and good order on this solemn occasion." 

Under the stone, which was laid at the south-east corner of the building, were placed money 
of the various coinage of his present majesty's reign, and a brass plate over them, engraved by 
Mr. J. Farnworth, watch and clockmaker of this town, containing the following- inscription : — 
" General Hospital, near Nottingham, open to the sick poor of any county. On the 12th day of 
(C February, 1781, John Smellie, E-q. mayor of Nottingham, laid the first stone of the building-. 
Ci The Corporation gave the ground for the said hospital. John Simpson, Architect." 

To tell the reader, that this is a useful institution, would be like informing him that dormant 
vegetation is restored to perfection by the genial influence of nature's all-cheering- sun. I shall 
therefore wave all encomiums on the benefactors, subscribers, &c. and insert the thirty-third annual 
report, as presented by the auditors of the institution to the subscribers ; and, when this book is 
nearly destroyed by the ravaging hand of time, may the pages which contain it be particularly 
preserved. 
Thirty-third annual report of the state of the General Hospital, near Nottingham, (open to 

the sick and lame poor of any county or nation,) from the 25th of March, 1814, to the 2bth 

of March, 1815. 

" In presenting to the public this, the thirty-third report, since the establishment of this hospital, 
" we are happy to announce the general satisfactory state of the charity, and the pleasing prospect 
" of the continuance of its good effects to the latest generations. 

" In a populous commercial nation, the number and wants of the poor, will, from a variety of 
" causes (which the utmost sagacity of man can neither foresee nor prevent,) be very great; but 
(C in these institutions a powerful remedy is found ; and, at the same time, the great and important 
" cause of religion is assiduously promoted. What but brotherly love and christian charity could 
" draw the attention of those, who are blest with the means of doing good, to the distresses of their 
" fellow-creatures ? And how can the poor receive the relief afforded, without lifting- up their 
" hands in thankful gratitude to the Almighty Being, who put it into the hearts of those whom he 
" hath made his stewards of his bounty, to dispense his blessings ! 

" Thus may christians of all ranks and denominations unite in carrying on this great work ; and 
" at the consummation of all things, be blessed with this testimony of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
tc . Christ, " Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, 
'• ye have done it unto me." 

" Such considerations, together with the satisfaction that must ever result from the consciousness 
" of having made lighter the sufferings, and contributed to the happiness, both temporal and 
" eternal, of our fellow-creatures will, doubtless, not only insure the continuance of that generous 
cc support which the hospital has already experienced, but also raise up new friends; so that this 
" useful institution may still go on and prosper, from generation to generation. 

" The governors have to inform the friends of the charity and the public in general, that among 
" the late alterations, a steam engine has been erected, and two warm baths constructed^ heated 



GENERAL HOSPITAL. 161 



" by steam, for the accommodation of the public, in addition to those set apart for the use of the 
" patients : other considerable conveniencies haye also been obtained, by a washing machine, 
" steam table. &c. 

" The conducting of this charity is vested in the hands of the governors : all subscribers of two 
" guineas or more a year, or benefactors of fifty pounds or upwards, are governors ; a committee 
*■' of whom meet every Tuesday morning, at eleven o'clock, to do the current business of the 
" hospital, to examine the reports of the house visitors, to admit and discharge patients, to receive 
(*. the complaints or proposals of all persons, and to prepare such matters as are proper for the 
" consideration of the general board. A general board of the governors is held twice a year, viz. 
"' on the 25th of March, at which board the president for the year, auditors, and deputy receiver, 
" are annually chosen ; the accounts inspected and settled ; an abstract of the same laid before 
** them ; together with the number of patients received and discharged in the preceding year, and 
" printed for the satisfaction of the public ; and sometime in October, of which timely notice will 
" be given, and which is considered as the general anniversary meeting of all the friends of the 
" general hospital, and of the lunatic asylum, a sermon is preached before them at St. Mary's 
" church, a collection made for the two charities alternately, and the friends of both dine together. 

f ' The governors think it highly necessary to request the subscribers to be particularly cautious 
" not to recommend such as are improper, either from the nature of their complaint, or from their 
" circumstances. As to the former, the governors wish to admit only such as there is a probable 
" hope of curing, or at least of relieving ; and therefore in all doubtful cases, they desire that the 
" subscribers will consult some apothecary as to the propriety of sending such patient, or let the 
t! case be briefly represented by some judicious person, in a letter to the secretary, before the 
' f patient is sent, to prevent the expense and fatigue of a fruitless journey. As to the latter, it is 
-'■' but justice to the physicians and surgeons, who generously attend the infirmary gratis, to exclude 
" all such as are not able to subsist themselves and to pay for medicines. That the intention of 
if contributors may be directed to this very important particular, it is judged proper to re-publish 
" the 14th rule, for the admission of patients, (viz.) "No domestic servant or other, shall, merely 
<; on that account, be excluded the benefit of the hospital, but it shall be left to the determination 
fC of the committee how far the servant recommended is, or is not, a proper object; which committee 
' ; will also consider that it is contrary to the intention of this charity to relieve those who are able 
" to pay for relief; and it is reasonable to suppose that all masters (whether subscribers or not) 
" who are in affluent circumstances, will not desire them to be relieved at the public expense, to the 
" detriment of more necessitous objects, and to the disadvantage of the surgeons, who give their 
'-' attendance gratis." 

u Benefactors of one hundred pounds, and upwards, or subscribers of five guineas or more, 
** annually, shall have the power of recommending six in, and twenty out-patients annually ; but 
'•** shall not have more than two at any one time in the house. 

" Subscribers of two guineas annually, or benefactors of fifty pounds, shall recommend two in- 
*' patients, and three out-patients in a year, having only one in-patient at one time ; allowing also 
** a proportionable privilege to those who are both benefactors and subscribers. 

2 S 



162 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" Subscribers of one guinea annually, or twenty guineas in benefaction, shall recommend two 
" out-patients in a year, and during the term of ten years for the benefaction of ten guineas. 
As this establishment eannot be conducted without adhering to the rules and orders made for 
the government of it, which have been printed and published for the general information of 
all persons whatsoever ; the subscribers and contributors to this hospital are desired to take 
particular notice of the following Rules and Orders : 

" 1st. That no person can recommend a patient whilst his subscription is in arrcar, nor any persons be admitted 
' patients who are able to subsist themselves, and pay for medicines; and that every person will be discharged of 
' course by the committee, within two months after admission, unless the physicians and surgeons have reason to 
' believe the patient may receive some considerable benefit by a further trial. 

" 2d. That no person can be admitted a patient (except in cases of accidents, which are taken in at any hour of 
' the day or night, beds being always kept ready for that purpose) without a recommendatory letter, signed by a 
' subscriber or benefactor, in the following manner : — 

" To the Governors of the General Hospital, near Nottingham. 

" Gentlemen,-.. I recommend to your examination A. Z. of the parish of , whom I believe to be a real 

' object of charity, and desire he may be admitted an out (or in) patient 01 the hospital, if duly qualified. 

Age, disease, how long ill, I am. your humble servant, &c." 

" N. B. This letter under the hand of every person who recommends a patient, must be delivered to the weekly 

< committee on Tuesday morning, between ten and eleven o'clock; and in case of death, the person, &c. who 
' recommended the deceased, must either remove the corpse, or defray the burial expense, which will be reduced to as 
' small a sum as decency will permit ; and if a distant patient be not removed on his discharge, the governors will 
' send such patient home at the parish expense, by an order from a justice of peace. 

" Governors who recommend patients at a distance from Nottingham, are desired to send before hand a letter, 
' directed to the secretary, with a short statement of their case, drawn up by some physician, surgeon or apothecary, 
' that some judgment may be formed whether they are proper objects of the charity ; and likewise to enquire if the 
v beds are all occupied : an answer will be retuined when they can be admitted. 

" 3d. No persons to be admitted who are able to subsist themselves, and pay for their cure; no woman big with 
1 child ; no child under six years of age, except in extraordinary cases, as fractures, or where cutting for the stone, 
' or any other operation is required ; no person, disordered in their senses, suspected to have (he small. pox, venereal 
' disease, itch, or other infectious distempers; having habitual ulcers in their legs, cancers not admitting operation, 

< consumptions, or dropsies in their last stages, epileptic or other fits, that are apprehended to be in a dying condition, 
' or incurable, shall be admitted as in-patients, or if inadvertently admitted, be suffered to continue; and no one shall 
' be admitted, or suffered to remain as in-patient, who is capable of receiving equal benefit as an out-patient. 

" N. B. As no person suspected to have any infectious distemper can, by the above rule, be admitted, the governors 
' desire all persons to give directions that the patients they recommend, be sent to the hospital in decent cloathing, 
' free from vermiu, and with proper change of linen, that they may be kept clean. 

" 4th. That no patient discharged for irregularity or disorderly behaviour, be received. again iito this hospital upon 
' any recommendation whatsoever. 

" 5th. That no person related to the hospital, do at any time presume (on pain of expulsion) to give or take of any 

< tradesman, patient, servant, stranger, or other person, any fee, reward, or gratuity of any kind, directly or 
' indirectly, for any service done, or to be done, on account of this hospital. 

" 6th. That a letter be scut to al 1 subscribers whose subscriptions are in arrcar; which it is hoped, none will be 
' offended at, as they may forget to make their payments regularly. 

" 7th. When there are more patients recommended than can be admitted, preference is given in the first place, to 

' those who come from the greatest distance ; in the second place, to those who have not recommended within the 

-year; and in the third place, to such as are recommended by the greatest subscribers, and whose admission the 









GENEEAL HOSPITAL. 



163 



" committee are of opinioa will most effectually answer the. end of the charity; and the rest, if proper objects, are 

" admitted out-patients till they can be received into the hospital. 

All such as are disposed to contribute to the support of this injirmary by their last will, are desired to do it in the 

manner following— for want of due attention to which several sums bequeathed to charities of this kind have been 

lost. 

" Item, ---I give and bequeath to A. B. and C. D. or the survivor of them, the sum of , upon trust, 

" that they, or one of them, do pay the same to the treasurers of a society who call themselves the governors of the 
" General Hospital, near Nottingham ; which sum I charge on my personal estate, and desire it may be applied to the 
" charitable uses of the laid hospital , for which, on payment, the treasurer's receipt shall be a sufficient discharge." 



BENEFACTIONS. 

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, and the Corporation of Nottingham, two acres of land for building the hospital 

upon, the garden, fyc. 
.£200 \ Brought forward 



Arkwright Richard, Esq. Willersley 
Archbishop of York, His Grace the 
Aldrich Dr. Cockglode, near Ollerton 
Acklom Jonathan, Esq. Wiseton 
Ditto, a second Benefaction 



Bainbridge Mrs. Eliz. Woodborough 



100 

50 

25 

25 

1000 



| Ditto, a second Benefacton 



5 



Cheslins Miss, Nottingham 

Devonshire, His Grace the Duke of, Chats. 







? worth .... 

$ Denison John, Esq. Ossington - 

Birch J. Esq. M. P. Hasle Hall, Lancashire 105 j Dashwood Cha. Vere, Esq. Stanford Hall 

Bentinck Lord Edward, R. H. . ■ 100 | Denison Robert, Esq. Ossington 

Boothby Sir W. Bart. Mansfield Woodhouse 50 5 Emmerton John W. Esq. Thrumpton . 

Elliott William, Esq. Nottingham 



Barry Pendock, Esq. Rocla Veston 
Bury Mrs. Nottingham 
Bingham Rev. James, Wartnaby - 
Bristowe Samuel, Esq. Twyford - 
Barnard Rev. Mr. Cortlingstock 
Barnes David, Esq. Chesterfield - 
Bourne Rev. L. Dronfield, Derbyshire 
Bi others Mr. (an acknowledgment accep- 
ted by him on waving a prosecution) 



05 








50 








30 








31 


10 





21 








21 








21 









!1 



I Elliott William, Esq. Nottingham 
I Eyre A. H. Esq. Grove 

Edge Thomas, Esq. Strellcy 

Evans Francis, Esq. Lenton Grove 

Evans Rev. Mr. - 

Evans Miss . 

Franks Mrs. Elizabeth 

Fellows John, Esq. Nottingham - 
I Gregory G. D. L. Esq. Hungerton Hall 100 

50 



18 








50 








10 


10 





00 








50 








50 








20 








50 








50 








50 








50 








31 


10 





10 


to 





10 


10 





10 


10 





20 








20 









Nottingham - 

Burnell Mrs. Southwell - - . 10 10 | Gregory Mrs. Susan, Nottingham 

Buxton Mr. John, Nottingham - . 10 10 | Gisborne Rev. T. Yoxhall Lodge, Staf 

Bolton Mr. Samuel, Nottingham - 10 10 \ fordshire - 

Buck Mr. Samuel, Holwell, Leicestershire 10 \ Gawthern F. Esq. Nottingham - 

Cavendish Lord Charles ... 100 { Green Rev. W. Hardingham, Norfolk 

Chaworth W. Esq. Annesley . . 100 j Gregory Rev. Mr. Langar 
Crvne Dr. Kenelworth, near Coventry 



Carrington Right Hon. Lord 

Coke Daniel Parker, Esq, Derby 

Coke Rev. D'Ewtr, Brookhill Hall, near 

Mansfield - 
Crofts Mrs. (after her decease, by Mrs. 

Hunt) 

Clifton r Gervas, Bart. Clifton Grove 



100 
50 
50 



\ Hayford Mrs. Oxton 

5 Hayne Richard, Esq. Notlingham 







50 



50 
21 



Holden Robert, Esq. Darky, near Derby 
Huisk Mark, Esq. Nottingham 
Heathcote Rev. Edward, East Bridgford 
Hall Rev. Robert, Stubton 
Infirmary, a Friend to the 
Jerom Mrs. Nottingham ... 



50 








21 








21 








10 


10 





100 








50 








50 








30 








21 








21 








400 








50 









2518 ? 



4070 & 



164 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Brought over . - .£4076 
Knight John, Esq. Lang old 50 

Kayo Rev. Sir R. Bart. Dean of Lincoln 25 
Kirkby Rev. Richard, Gedling 21 

Lovet Mrs. Nottingham ... 100 
Launder Cornelius, Esq. Nottingham 50 

Launder Rev. A. C. Nottingham - 25 

L.upton Mr. Nottingham 20 

Lady unknown (by the hands of Mr. 
Hoskins) ..... 
Morris John, Esq. Nottingham . 
Manvers Right Hon. Earl, Thoresby 
Middleton Right Hon. Thomas Lord, 

Wollaton - 

Middleton Henry Lord, Wollaton 
Middleton Henry Lord, Wollaton 
Mantagu Right Hon. Fred. Papplewick 
Musters John, Esq. Colwick Hall 
Mundy Edw. Miller, Esq. M. P. Shipley 
Mellor Abijah, Esq. Nottingham 
Mason Mr. J. B. Nottingham 
Menteath Rov. Mr. Closeburn Hall, 

Dumfrieshire - 
NewcastleHisGrace the Dukeof,Cluraber 
Newark Right Honble. Lord Viscount, 

M. P. Holme Pierrepont 
Nevill Langford, Esq. Nottingham 
Newton R. Esq. Norton, Derbyshire 
Oxton Town of (by Mrs. Sherbrooke) 
Portland his Gr. the Duke of Welbeck 
Portland his Grace the Duke of 
Plumptre J. Esq. Fredville, Kent 
Pierrepont Hon. John Evelyn, Thoresby 
Penalties, arising from conviction of per- 
sons, for having bought goods of 
embezzled materials (by the magis- 
trates) - 
Pinxton Parish of (by the Rev. D. Coke) 
Pocklington Roger, Esq. Winthorpe - 
Poole John, Esq. Nottingham 



10 
300 
100 

200 
100 
100 
50 
-50 
50 
21 
10 

10 

300 

100 
21 
10 
100 
200 
105 
100 
100 




















































































10 









10 













94 








50 








21 








21 









6591 



.£6591 








- 21 








- 21 
■ 








l- 
- 10 


10 





30 








- 21 








- 21 









Brought forward 

Priaulx Rev. P. East Bridgford - 

Padley Robert, Esq. Burton 

Parker Heneage, Esq. Mansfield Wood- 
house .... 

Rollestoo L. Esq. Watnall 

Robinson Joseph, Esq. Bulwell 

Robinson James, Esq. Papplewick 

Smellie John, Esq. John Buxton, and 
John Ball Mason, gents. ( theMayor 
and Sheriffs of Nottingham) instead 
of the Micha-luias feast, 1780 

Savile Sir George, Bart. Rttfl'ord 

Sherbrooke Mrs. Oxton ... 

Smith Abel, Esq. Nottingham 

Sherbrooke WilMam, Esq. Oxton 

Smith S. Esq. M. P. Wood Hall, Herts 

Simpson Hon. John, M. P. Babworth 

Sherwin John, Esq. Nottingham 

Shering John, Esq. Nottingham 

Stokes Miss Ann, Notiingham 

Stokes Miss Millicent, Nottingham 

Story J. L. Esq. Nottingham 

Strelley Mrs. Nottingham 

Spilsbury B. Esq. Willington, Derbyshire 

Statham, Martin, and Barnet, Messrs. of 
Nottingham, an acknowledgment ac- 
cepted by them on waving a prosecu- 
tion ------ 

Smellie John, Esq. Nottingham 

Shorney Mrs. Nottingham 

Smith Mr. T. High-pavement, Nottingham 

Thompson Job. Esq. ... 

Taylor Mrs. Elizabeth, Lincoln 

Thompson Rev. W. West Bridgford 

Unknown, through the hands of Thomas 
Coutts, Esq. and Co. 

Unwin S. Esq. Sutton-in-Ashfield 

Unknown (by D. P. Coke, Esq. 

Vernon Rt. Hon. Lord, Nutthall Temple 50 



120 








105 








100 








100 








50 








50 








50 








50 








42 








21 








21 








21 








20 








20 









20 
10 
10 
10 
105 
50 
10 

6337 
50 
20 





10 

10 

10 





10 

2 10* 









14,159 12 10 



* The unknown friend that gave this large sum of money, gave an equal sum to the infirmities of Derby and Sheffield, in May, 1 807, the 
whole being the produce of thirty thousand pounds in the three per cent, consolidated funds. For some time his name was a secret; but 
it afterwards appeared to be the Honorable Henry Cavendish, -who died at Clapham the 10th of February, 1811. He was one of the greatest 
philosophers and chymists that ever lived ; and a most admirable eulogium of his distinguished merits, was delivered at a public meeting 
«f the Imperial Institute at Paris, by the chevalier Cunier on the 6th of January, 1812., 



GENERAL HOSPITAL. 



165 



Brought forward 
Williams Rev. Mr. Nottingham 
Williams Rev. Mr. (2d benefaction) 
Wright John, Esq. Nottingham 
Wright Thomas, Esq. Nottingham 
Williams Mrs. Nottingham 



£14,159 12 10 



100 








50 








50 









50 
50 

14,459 12 10 j 



Brought forward 
Walter Rev. J. Bingham 
A fine (by the Magistrates) 



.£14,459 12 10 
21 
10 



14,490 12 10 
Benefactions under ten pounds 294 7 9 

Total 14,785 



LEGACIES. 



Key Mrs. (her Executrix) Fulford 
Key John, Esq. Fulford 
Harris Miss, Nottingham 
SmellieJohn, Esq. Nottingham 
Copley Mrs. Nottingham 
Tye Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
Immyns George, Esq. Nottingham 
Needham Mr. (surgeon) Nottingham 
Thompson Charles, Esq. Mansfield', 100^. 

stock in the three per cents. 
Frost Mr. William, Nottingham 
Coulson Mrs. Nottingham 
Taylor Mr. John, Nottingham 
Parnham Mrs. Mary, Nottingham 
Williams Rev. Edward, Nottingham 
Wolley Mr. James, Codnor, Derbyshire 
Botham Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
Revill Thomas, Esq. - 

Chadwick James Mansfield, Esq. 
Lockitt Mr. Henry, Nottingham 
Leaver Mrs. Mary, Nottingham 
Mellor Abijah, Esq. Nottingham 
Strelley Mr. Joseph, Colwick 
Welby William, Esq. Denton 
Carruthers Mr. Alderman, Nottingham 
Stacy Mr. William, Farnsfield 



.£500 








500 








100 








100 








20 








6 


6 





. 21 








21 









100 

20 

50 

20 

100 

60 

20 

100 

500 

40 

50 

42 

5 

50 

100 

200 





































2725 6 



Brought forward 
Warren Mrs. Elizabeth, Bisley. 
Jerrom Mrs. Mary, Nottingham 
Pearsall Mr. John, Nottingham 
Storer Mr. John, Nottingham 
Elliott William, Esq. Nottingham 
Morris John, Esq. Nottingham 
Mettam Thomas, Esq. Nottingham 
Reddish Mr. Simon, Ovcrstone 
Hall Francis, Gent. Nottingham 
Cannt Mr. Alderman, Nottingham 
A Lady (per Mr. Holdsworth) 
Smith James, Gent. Nottingham 
Hawley Mr. John, Ilkeston 
Kelsall Mrs. Elizabeth, Nottingham 
Dakeyne Mrs. Christian, Nottingham 
Dakeyne Mr. Robert, Nottingham 
Launder Cornelias, Esq. Nottingham 
Ugnall Mrs. Ann, Nottingham 
Ellis Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
Tomlinson Rev. William, Beverley 
Pocklington Mrs. Mary, Newark 
Harwood Mr. William, Bilborough 
Pidcock Mr. William, Nottingham 
Needham Mrs. William, Nottingham 



£2725 


6 





- 


100 


O 





- 


300 








. 


10 








. 


21 








- 


50 








■ 


100 








■ 


50 








- 


20 








. 


20 








. 


50 








n 


30 








- 


20 








. 


50 








- 


105 










100 








• 


100 










100 








- 


100 








- 


21 








• 


100 








- 


200 








• 


50 








. 


50 










5 









Total, 4477 6 



A LIST OF THE ANNUAL SUBSCRIBERS, MARCH 25, 1815. 

All those marked * are both subscribers and benefactors. 



*Arkwright Richard, Esq. Willerslcy Castle, 

Derbyshire .... 

Allen Mr. Alderman, Nottingham 
Aihwell John, Esq. (Mayor) Nottingham 
Allsopp Mr. Lewis, Nottingham 
Almond George, Gent. Nottingham 
Alliott Rev. Mr. Nottingham 



X Atkin Mr. James, Nottingham 



£2 2 



£10 10 X Barber, Walker, and Co. Messrs. Eastwood - 10 10 



X Bolton Thomas, Esq. Ratcliff Lodge 

\ Barry Barry, Esq. Rocla Veston 

X Butterley Company, Derbyshire 

X 
X 



Burnell Peter Pegge, Esq. Wiukbnrn 



5 Bateman Sir Hugh, Bart. Ham, near Ashborne 3 



X 
2T 



160 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Beardmore Mr. Joseph, London - £1 1 

Brodhurst William, Esq. Mansfield - -22 

Bettison Jonas, Esq. Holme-Picrrepont - 2 2 

Beresford John, Esq. Ashborne - - 2 2 

Blaydes Hugh, Esq. Banby Hall - - 2 2 

I5eechcr Bev. William, Southwell - - 2 2 

Beecher Rev. John Thomas, Southwell - 2 2 

Barrow Rev. Dr. Southwell - - - 2 2 

Bristoe Rev. William, Southwell - - 2 2 

Brown Rev. J. H. Eakring . . - 2 2 

Brown Rev. J. H. Cotgrave - - - 2 2 

Broughton Rev. Mr. Tunstal, Salop - - 2 2 

Brettle Jofin, Esq. Thurgarton - - - 2 2 

Bromley Sir Robert Howe, Bart, Stoke Hall 2 2 

Bourne Gervas, Esq. Bramcote - - - 2 2 

Braithwaites Messrs. Nottingham - -33 

♦Bolton Mr. Samuel, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Bigsby Rev. Thomas, Nottingham - - -» 2 2 

Bardsley Mr. Nottingham - . . - 2 2 

Bates Mr. Alderman, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Bott Mr. George, Nottingham - - - 2 2 

Blathcrwick Mr. Nottingham - - - 2 2 

Barwick Mrs. Nottingham - . - 2 2 

Brocksopp Mr. Nottingham - - - 2 2 

Brough Mr. John, Nottingham _ - 2 2 

Chesterfield Bt. Hon. Earl of, K. B. Bradby 5 5 

*Carrington Rt. Hon. Lord, Wycombe Abbey 5 5 

*Clifton Sir Gervas, Bart. Clifton Grove -55 

Craufurd General, Blyth - - - -55 

Chaworth John, Esq. Annesley Hall _ -55 

Coape Lieutenant Colonel, Sherwodge Lodge 3 3 

Charlcsworth Rev. John, Ossington - - 3 3 

Canterbury his Grace the Archbishop of, 

Lambeth Palace - - - - 2 2 

Clifton Bev. William, Clifton - - - 2 2 

Cleaver Bev. J. C. Holme-Pierrepont - - 2 2 

Chamberlin Mr. Bichard, Lenton - - 2 2 

Cox Humphry, Esq. South Scarle - - 2 2 

Coleman Mr. Nottingham - . - 3 3 

Chatteris Mr. Edward, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Collishaw John, Gent. Nottingham . - 2 2 

Cox Mr. George Lissant, Nottingham - 2 2 

Coldham George, Gent. Nottingham - 2 2 

Cole, Huddlestone, and Co. Messrs. Nottingham 2 2 

*Dasbwood C. V. Esq. Stanford Hall -55 

Donston George, Esq. Worksop - - 2 2 

Deverill Mr. William Hooton, Newton - 2 2 

Drewry Mr. Alderman, Derby - - - 2 2 



Dinsdale Rev. Owen, Wilford - - £11 

Dashwood Rev. S. F. Stanford, near Longhbro' 2 2 

Dickonson Thomas Lacy, Esq. West Retford 2 2 

Davy and Roberts, Messrs. Druggists, London 2 2 

Deakin Mrs. Bagthorpe - « - - 2 2 

Dale Mr. James, Druggist Nottingham - 2 2 
*Emmerton J. W. Esq. Thrumpton -33 

*EyreA.H. Esq. Grove - - - 3 3 

Eyre Bev. Archdeacon, Babworth - - 2 2 

*Edge. Thomas Webb, Esq. Strelley - 2 2 

*Evans Francis, Esq. Lenton Grove - 2 2 

Elliott W. E. Esq. Gedling House - - 2 2 

Elliott John, Esq, Nottingham . - 2 2 

Elliott Mr. Thomas, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Enfield Mr. Henry, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Evans Walter, Esq. Derby - - - 1 1 

Evans William, Esq. Derby - - - 1 1 

Foljambe Francis, Esq. Osberfon - - 10 

Fountayne Miss, Papplewick . - - 5 5 

Frank Frank Admiral, M. P. Kirklington 5 5 

Fyncs B,ev. Dr. Cromwell - - - 2 2 

Flamstead Rev. Dodsley, Spondon _ - 2 2 

Fillingham George, Esq. Syerston - - 2 2 
Foster Rev. Robert, Sutton Eonington St. 

Michael's . . . . - 2 2 

Fisher Thos. Esq. Beaconfield, near Newark 2 2 

Fowler Miss, Southwell - - _ - 2 2 

Foxcroft Mr. Lenton Firs - - - 2 2 

Foxcroft Mrs. C. Nottingham - - - 2 2 

Freeth Daniel, Gent. Castle Hill, Nottingham 2 2 

Frost Mr. Nottingham - - - - 2 2 

Fellows J. M. Esq. Nottingham - - 2 2 

*Gisbome Rev. T. Yoxall Lodge, Staffordshire 5 5 

Girardot J. C. Esq. Allestree, near Derby 5 5 

♦Gregory Rev. Mr. Langar - - - 3 3 

Green James, Esq. Lenton Abbey - - 2 2 

Greaves R. C. Esq. Ingleby, near Derby - 2 2 

Godfrey E. S. Esq. Newark - - - 2 2 

Gawthern Mrs. Nottingham - - - 2 2 

Goodacre Mr. Standard Hill, Nottingham 2 2 

Grist Mrs. Nottingham - . - - 2 2 

Hayne William, Esq. Nottingham . - 10 10 

Holden Robert, Esq. Darley, near Derby 5 5 
Hall and Son, Messrs. Basford - - -55 
Holiin«, Oldknow, and Co. Messrs. Pleasley 

Works . . . - - -55 

Hayne Thomas, Esq. Nottingham - -55 

Haddens Messrs. Nottingham - - - 5 5 



GENERAL HOSPITAL. 



167 



Huish Mark, Esq. Nottingham 

Holt Rev. George, Boughton ... 

Handley W. F. Esq. Newark . 

Hall General, Park Hall, near Mansfield 

Hall Rev. J. H. Ridley . 

Hall Thomas, Esq. Nottingham 

Hart Francis, Gent. Nottingham 

Hard wick Mrs. Nottingham ... 

Hoolev Mr. Nottingham - 

Howitt Mrs. Nottingham ... 

Hancock John Gent. Nottingham 

Hopkinson Mr. George, Nottingham 

Hind Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 

Hopper Mr. Richard, juo. Nottingham 

Holmes Rev. Mr. Normanton ... 

Holmes John, Esq. Retford - 

IJodgkinson George, Esq. Southwell 

Jackson and Manly Messrs. druggists, Pater- 

Noster Row, London - 

Jordan Rev. John Thomas, Hickling w 

Jamson Mr. Burton-Joyce - 

Knight H. G. Esq. M. P. Langold 
Kirkby Rev. John, Gotham ... 

Kewney Mr. Nottingham ... 

Killingley Mr. T. O. Nottingham 
Lowe Wm. Drury, E.->q. Locko, Derbyshire 
Longdun John, Esq. Bramcote Hills 
Leaver Richard, Esq. Mansfield 
Lowe Robert, Esq. Southwell 
Lowe Mr. J. High Field ■ - 

Lowe Mr. William, Nottingham 
Lacy Mr. Charles, Standard Hill, Nottingham 
Launder Miss, Nottingham ... 

Lawson Mr. Joseph, Nottingham 
Lawson Mr. George, Red Hill Lodge 
Lawson Mr. James, Red Hill Lodge 
*Middleton Right Hon. Lord, Wollaton Hall 10 10 
♦Musters John, Esq. Colwick Hall 
Mundy E. M. Esq. M. P. Shipley, Derbyshire 
Morris Mrs. Nottingham ... 

Maitby T. and W. B. Messrs. Nottingham 
Molyneux Henry Howard, Esq. M. P. Wellow 
Meynell Francis, Gent. Derby 
Moore Thomas, Esq. Lowdham 
Martin Rev. Samuel, Warsop 
Martin J. N. Esq. Wollaton ... 

Morewood Mrs. AJfrcton Hall, Derbyshire 
Maitby Gilbert, Esq. Hoverin^ham 



£5 


5 


2 


2^ 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


o 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


3 


3 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


5 


5 


3 


3 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


•2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


10 


10 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


3 


3 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 



Mellor Chailes, Esq. Nottingham 
Markland Jonathan, Gent. Nottingham 
Maitby Thomas, Esq. Nottingham 
Middlemore W. R. Esq. Nottingham 
Melville Mrs. Nottingham - 

Melville Mr. Nottingham - 
Newcastle his Grace the Duke of, Clumber 
Newcastle her Grace the Duchess of 
Need John, Esq. Mansfield Woodhouse 
Need Nathaniel, jun. and Co. Messrs. Drug. 

gists, Nottingham - 

Nealc Rev. Pendock, Tollerton 
Nightingale Peter, Esq. late of Lea Bridge 

(by his Executors) - 

Nunn Mr. William, London - - - 

Needham Matthew, Esq. Lenton 
Naylor Mr. Standard Hill, Nottingham 
*Portland his Grace the Duke of, Welbeck 
Pocklington Joseph, Esq. Muskham Grange 
Pocklington Roger, Esq. Muskham Grange 
Phillips Samuel, Esq. Nottingham 
Parkyns Lady, Ruddington - 

*Padley Robert, Esq. Burton Joyce 
Parkinson Rev. Dr. Kegworth 
Parker Mr. John, Nottingham 
Prentice Mr. Nottingham 
Pepper Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
Payne Mr. Nottingham - 

Robinson John, Esq. Winthorpe House 
Rawson Thomas Jekyll, Esq. . 

Ramsden Robert, Esq. Carlton in Lindrick 
Ray Mr. West Bridgford 
Rawson W. F. Esq. Nottingham 
Roe Mr. Martin, Nottingham 
Roberts Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
Richardson Mr. VV. G. Nottingham 
Richardson Samuel, Esq Derby 
Rickards S. Esq. Draycot House, Derbyshire 
Stanhope Lord and Ladies, Bradby 
Savilethe Hon. and Rev. John Lumley, RufFord 
*Sherbrooke William, Esq. Oxton 
Sherbrooke Sir J. C. K. B. 
*Smith Samuel, Esq. M. P Wood Hall, Herts 
Story Mrs. Nottingham - 

Story J. Bainbrigge, Esq. Woodbro' Hall 
Smith William, Esq. Nottingham 
Smith George, Esq. M. P. London 
Stretton Mr. George, Nottingham 



£<& 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


21 





5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


20 





21 





4 


4 


5 


5 


3 


3 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


3 


3 


3 


3. 



168 



H1ST0KV OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Smith John, Esq. M. P. London 

Smith Mrs. Lncy, Chelsea 

Smith George, Esq. Wilford 

Sketchley Samuel, Esq. Newark 

Sianton Messrs. G. and C. Mansfield 

Story Rev. Philip, Lockington 

Smelt Rev. VV. Gedling 

Staunton Rev. Dr. Staunton 

Strutt William Esq. Derby 

Strutt Joseph, Esq. Derby 

Strutt George E<q. Belper 

Stubbins Nathaniel Esq. Holme-Pierrcpont 

Sanders Rev. George, Wollaton 

Sanday Mr. William, Ilolme-Pierrepont 

Sanday Miss, Nottingham 

Stretton Mr. William, Lenton Priory 

*Smith Mr. Thomas Carpenter, Nottingham 

Smith Mr. W.jun. High. pavement, Nottingham 2 

Smith Mr. VV. St. James's. street, Nottingham 2 

Smith Mr. J. St. James's. street, Nottingham 2 

Society of Woolcombers, Nottingham . 2 

Society for the Prosecution of Horse Stealers, 

Nottingham .... 

Swann Mr. Alderman, Nottingham 
Stuart Rev. J. B. Standard Hill, Nottingham 
Sykes Mr. Robert, Nottingham 
Shilton Mr. C. D. Nottingham 
Simpson Messrs. Thos. and John, Nottingham 2 2 
Severn Mr. James, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Shuttleworth Mr. Nottingham - - 2 2 

Stone Mr. John, Nottingham - -22 

Sutton Mr. Charles, Nottingham - - 2 2 

Trent Navigation Company . . -55 

Twisleton I. C. Esq. Osbaston Hall, Leicestershire 3 . 3 
Topott John, Esq. Lamcote - - - 2 2 

Thorotou Thomas, Esq. Flintham Hall .22 



j€2 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
o 

2 



Thompson Mrs. West Bridgford 
Trentham William, Gent. Nottingham 
Turbutt William, Esq. Ogston Hall 
Unwin Mrs. Mansfield - 

*Vernon Rt. Hon. Lord, Sudbury., Derbyshire 
Vernon Hon. George V. Nutthall Temple 
Vczey Mr. Nottingham .... 

Warren Right Hon. Sir John Borlase, K. B. 

Staplcford Hall .... 

Wilmot Sir R. Bart. Chaddesden, near Derby 
Wright John, Esq. Lenton - 

Wright Ichabod, Esq. Mapperley 
Wright Edmund, Esq. Nottingham 
Wakefield Messrs. Francis and S. Nottingham. 5 
Williams George Gregory, Esq. Rempstonc 
Walker Mrs. Thomas, Berry Hill 
Wright Samuel, Esq. Gunthorpe 
Wright Thomas, Esq. Norwood Hall 
Wright John Smith, Esq. High Sheriff, Wilford 

House ...... 

Wright Mrs. Mary, Sion Hill ... 

Wright Mrs. Nottingham ... 

Wright Mrs. II. Nottingham ... 

VV right Miss, Long. Row, Nottingham 
Webster Mr. John Sutton, Nottingham 
Wilson Mr. Aldeiman, Nottingham 
Wakefield Mr. Thomas, Nottingham 
WelLs Mr. Nottingham .... 

Wylde Rev. Dr. Nottingham 

Wylde William, Esq. Southwell 

White John, Gent. Basford ... 

Wood John, Gent. Mount Pleasant, near 

Eastwood - . - - 

Waiowright Mr. William, Nottingham 
York his Grace the Archbishop of, Bishop- 

thorpe Palace, near York . .55 



£2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


5 


5 


5 


5 


2 


2 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


5 


- 5 


5 


3 


9 
3 


3 


3 


3 


3 


3 


3 


3 


3 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


. 2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


2 


1 


1 



ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS OF PARISHES AND TOWNS. 



Parish of St. Mary, Nottingham 

Parish of St. Peter, Nottingham 

Parish of St. Nicholas, Nottingham 

Parish of Maosfield 

Parish of Basford ... 

Parish of Bilborongh 

Parish of Southwell 

Parish of Radford 

Parish of Greasley ... 

Parish of Bingham 



£5 
5 

5 
6 
5 
5 
4 
4 
4 
2 



Parish of Cotgrave ... 

Parish of Linby, by Miss Fountayne 

Parish cf Papplewiek, by Miss Fountayne 

Parish of Lenton 

Parish of Watnall, by L. Rotleston, Esq. 

Parish of Wilford, by Rev. Mr. Dinsdate 

Parish of Sutton-in-Ashfield 

Town of Gedling .... 

Parish of Heanor - - . . 

Parish of Huckuall, by Rev. Mr. Nixon 



£2 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 



GENERAL HOSPITAL. 



169 



Parish of Colston. Basset - . £2 2 

Parish of Bulwell - - - - -22 

Parish of Arnold - - - . - 2 2 

Parish of Snenton - - - - - 2 2 

Parish of R.uddington, by Mr. Breedon - 2 2 

Parish of Wollaton - - - - 2 2 

Parish of Hickling . - - - - 2 2 

Parish of Beeston - - - - - 2 2 

Parish of Trowell - - - - - 2 2 

Parish of East Leak, by Mr. WoodrofTe - 2 2 



Parish of Shirland, by Mr. Hopkinson £2 2 

Parish of Stapleford - - - . - 2 2 

Parish of Woodtorough - - . - 2 2 

Parish of Eastwood . . . - 2 2 

Parish of Cropwell Butler - - - 2 2 

Parish of Calverton - - - - 2 2 

Parish of Kinoulton - - - - 2 2 

Parish of East Bridgford - - . - 2 2 

Hamlet of Chilwell 2 2 

Hamlet of Carlton in the Willows - - 2 2 



Abstract of the whole account of the year,, 

Receipts from the 25th of March, 1814, to the 25th 
of March, 1815. 

In the Treasurers' hands, March 25th, 

1814 £605 13 1 

Collected at St. Mary's church on the an- 
niversary, after a sermon preached by 
the Rev. Charles Smelt, including \l. Is. 
subsequently received from a Lady then 
absent 289 18 6 

Received at the assembly on the anni- 
versary - - - - -42 130 

One year's dividend on £17,700 4 per 

cents 637 4 

One year's dividend on £3000, 3 per 

cents consols - - - 81 

Funded Property Tax returned - - 78 6 

One year's interest on £1000 lent to the 
magistrates of the town and county of 
the town of Nottingham, on security 
of the Town Rate - - - - 50 

From the magistrates of the county of 
Nottingham, in reduction of the loan 
of ,£2312 7s. 6d. on security of the 
County Rate - - - - 1000 

Interest on the above £2312 7s. 6(1. 
from 25th of March, 1814. to the 30th 
of December following - - 86 18 9 

Interest on the remaining .£1312 7s. 6d. 
the 30th of December, 1814, to the 
25th of March, 1815 - - - 15 5 6 

From the use of warm baths - - 27 12 6 

From the poor's boxes, 21. 7s. lOcl. — 
Sale of grains, 1/. 6s. — Soldiers' sub- 
sistence, 19s. .... 



4 12 10 
2919 4 2 



from Lady-day, 1814, to Lady-day, 1815. 

Abstract of payments, from \March 25th, 1814, /» 
March 25th, 1815. 

Bread, 141/. 17s. 5d.~Flour,18/. 12s. lOd. 

—Oatmeal, 8/. 14s. 3d. — Salt, 6/. 18s. ^176 2 3 

6423lbs. of butchers' meat, 212/. 15s. 3d. 

—Sundries, hi. Is. Id. - - - 217 16 4 

211 strikes of malt, 113/. 14s. §d. — Hops, 

11/. 17s. 3d Ale and porter, 71. 

18. 4d 133 10 1 

1636 gallons, 2 quarts of milk, 81/. 16s. 6d. 

8cwt. lqr. 26lbs. of cheese, 31/. 6s 

Butter, 28/. 9s. 5d. - - - 141 11 11 

159 tons, 14 cwt. of coal, including the 

getting in 118 7 4 

72lbs. of candles, lamp oil, groceries, and 

rice 48 12 11 

Vegetables, garden, and seeds - - 28 8 10 

lewt. 2qrs. 141bs. of soap, starch and blue 8 14 2 

Wine and spirituous liquors, for patients 22 1 3 

Medicines - 226 14 & 

Lint, tow, corks, and pill boxes, 71. 16s. 

6d Various sorts of bottles, 19/. 10s. 

—Skins and leaf fat, 71. 3s. 2d Vi- 
negar for house and shop, groceries for 
shop, lemon juice and soda water, 11/. 

18s. lid Linseed meal, 5/. 3s. 6d 

Spirit of wine, 39/.-— Yellow wax and 

honey, 8/. 16s. --Leeches, 14/ Splints, 

bougies, &c. 51. 3s. 7d. - - - 118 11 8 

Stationery, advertisements, stamps, and 

printing annual reports - - - 29 11 9 

Linen, calico, flannel, and 10 coverlets, 
41/. 5s. 9d. ---Straw, brushes, earthen- 
ware, soda, &c. 14/. 4s. 4d. - - 55 10 1 



1325 12 10 



2U 



170 



HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



Brought over - . ,£2919 4 2 
Annual subscriptions (including arrears 
and new subscriptions) from the 25th of 
March, 1814, to the 25th of March, 

1815 922 10 

Interest allowed by Treasurers - - 13 13 
In the Matron's hands 



9 



21 



3876 7 11 



LEGACIES TO THE GENERAL INFIRMARY, 

VESTED OR CONTINGENT. 

A legacy of £1000, 4 per cent, government secu- 
rities, vested in the governors, by the last will of the 
late Edward Bennett, Esq. sugar baker, in Sheffield, 
and payable at the decease of his widow, who is alive. 

A legacy of 1400/. vested in the governors, by the 
last will of the late Rev. Creed Turner, of Treeton, 
in the county of York, payable at the decease of his 
sister, married to Dr. Storer. 

A legacy of 100/. to the use of the infirmary, by 
the last will of the late Richard Milford, Esq. in case 
his daughter, who is married, shall have no child who 
shall live to attain the age of 21 years. 

JOHN STORER, M. D. 
THOMAS SMITH, M. D. 
JAMES CLARKE, M, D. 



Brought over - - £1325 12 10 
Joiners', whitesmiths', braziers', and 
coopers' bills, with various articles of 
furniture, 27/. 15s. 10d.— White-wash- 
ing, and bricklayers' work, 30/. 17s.— 
Glazing windows, repairing water- 
closets, and plumbers' bill, including 
expenses on account of the steam en- 
gine, 23/. 12s. - - - - 82 4 10 
Repairing and regulating clocks, 2/. 16s. 

6d.— Water rent, 4/. 4s Two pigs, 

and feeding ditto, 6/. 10s. lOd —Shav- 
ing patients twice a week, 6/.— Car- 
riage of goods, &c. 3/. 9s. 2d. - - 23 6 

1430 18 2 

SALARIES AND WAGES. 

The Chaplain - - £31 10 0~ 

House apothecary & secretary 60 

Matron - . . - 30 

Deputy receiver - - 5 5 

Porter . . - - 20 4 

Ditto, a coat, hat, jacket, &c. 5 4 10 

Nurses - . . - 34 13 

Cook and house-maid - 16 16 

Night wakers - - - 4 16 

Washer-woman - - 1 6 

Casual Expenditure.— -Repairing gar. 
den wall, making a sewer, and the sla- 
ters' bill for damage by high wind 

Insurance - 

Expenses at church on anniversary . 

Expenses at assembly on anniversary 

By purchase of 1000/. 3 per cent, consols 677 10 

By purchase of 1300Z. 4 per cents. 1079 

In the treasurer's hands, March 25, 1815 362 14 11- 



209 9 4 



24 10 


6 


3 





42 7 





25 18 






In the matron's hands 



Honorary Governors for life. 



- 21 o o 

3876 7 11 



GENERAL HOSPITAL. 



171 



■ JUJEUWJW5MJ 



•General account of patients admitted and 

to 

In. Out. 
Remaining on the books March 

25th, 1814 ... 40 350 

Admitted since, of which 169 

were accidents ... 324 970 



Out-patients made in-patients 
In-patients made out-patients 



Cured - 

Relieved - 

At their own request 

For irregularity - 

Non-attendance, (most cured) - 

Without relief - 

Dead - - - - - 

Remain on the books, March 
25th, 1815 



Out-patients made in-patients 
In-patients made out-patients 



364 


1320 


1684 


3 


— 


3 


— 


60 


60 


367 


1380 


1747 


197 


794 


991 


36 


58 


94 


4 


6 


10 


12 


— 


12 


— 


146 


146 


13 


— 


13 


45 


373 


418 


307 


1377 


1684 


— 


3 


3 


60 


— 


60 



discharged since the first opening, September 19th, 1782, 
March 25th, 1815. 

Total. i In. Out. Total. 

Patients admitted and dis- 
390 i charged since the first open- 

ing, Sept. 19th, 1782, to 
March 25th, 1815 
Out-patientsmade in-patients 
In-patients made out-patients 



Cured 



367 1380 1747 



9922 


25941 


35863 


991 


— 


991 


— 


3013 


3013 



Relieved - 

At their own request and for 

irregularity - 
Non-attendance, (most of 

whom were cured) - 
Without relief - 
Dead - 

Remain on the books March 

25th. 1815 



10913 


28954 


39867 


5715 


21585 


27300 


809 


161S 


2424 


598 


422 


1020 


— 


3863 


3863 


154 


105 


259 


579. 


— 


579 


45 


373 


418 



7900 



27963 3SS62 
Out-patients made in-patients — 991 991 

In-patients made out-patients 3013 — 3013 



10913 28954 39867 



President for the year. 
Auditors for the year. 



I >7i 



reasurers. 



Of this number, 4417 persons were admitted on sudden accidents, without any recommendation; and there have 
been, since the first opening, 185 amputations, 9 trepanned, and 55 cut for the stone.— The average number for the 
year has been 39 in, and 343 out-patients. 

OFFICERS. 

Right Honorable Lord VERNON, of Sudbury 

The Reverend Dr. WYLDE, and THOMAS MALTBY, Esquire 

SAMUEL SMITH, Esq. and CO. JOHN and ICHABOt) WRIGHT^ 

Esqrs. and CO. and Messrs. MOORE, MALTBY; EVANS, and 

MIDDLEMORE 

Doctor JOHN STORER ..._.--- Consulting physician extraordinary for life. 

Doctor WILLIAM MARSDEN, Doctor CHARLES PENNING-^ 

TON, Doctor ALEXANDER MANSON, S Physicians. 

Mr. THOMAS WRIGHT, Mr. JOHN ATTENBURROW, Member) 

of Royal College of Surgeons, and Mr. JOHN WRIGHT, i 

The Reverend JAMES BAGG, A. B 

Mr. ROBERT THOMPSON, 

Mr. CORDEN THOMPSON, 

Mr. SAMUEL ASH WELL, 

Mrs. ELIZABETH BEARDSLEY 

Mr. SAMUEL WILKINSON - - - 



Surgeons. 

- Chaplain. 

- House surgeon, apothecary, and secretary, 

i Apprentices in the Hospital. 

- Matron. 

- Deputy Receiver. 



J 72 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



CORRESPONDENTS AND RECEIVERS. 

For the County of Derby, - - - Mr. Alderman DREWRY, Derby. 

For the Hundred of Newark, - - - Messrs. GODFREY and HUTTON, Bankers, Newark. 

For the Hundred of Bingham, - - - Rev. THOMAS BEAUMONT, of East Bridgford. 

For the Hundred of Broxtowe, Mr. CHARLES STANTON, Mansfield. 

For the Hundred of Thurgarlon, - - Rev. WILLIAM BECHER, Southwell. 

For the Division of South Clay, - - JOHN HOLMES, Esquire, of Retford. 

Messrs. SMITH, PAYNE, and SMITHS; Messrs. ROBARTS, CURTIS, and Co. ; and Sir RICHARD 

CARR GLYNN, and Co. Bankers, London. 
*** The Governors will be glad if such gentlemen and clergymen as approve of this undertaking would trouble 
themselves to inform their neighbours of the nature and utility of this hospital, and promote subscriptions to support it. 
Old Linen is always considered a valuable present to the charily. 

KITTY HUDSON. 

We will close our account of this institution by giving the particulars of the most extraordinary 
case ever recorded in the medical annals, as extracted by Dr. Hugh Moises from the minutes of the 
hospital, and afterwards published in the Medical and Physical Journal. And Mr. Attenburrow, 
Mr. Wright, and Mr. Thompson, are still residing in this town as living witnesses of the truth of 
the case. Thinking, however that the reader would be gratified by every iota of information which 
could be collected on the subject, I sent for the woman herself (who is now living at Arnold in this 
neighbourhood) to come to my house, which she did, on the 23d of July, 1815, from whom, in 
the presence of several neighbours, I learnt the following particulars — She is now a hearty, 
communicative woman, and very pleasant in conversation. 

She said she was born at Arnold on the 9th of March, 1765; and that at six years of age she 

was brought to her grandfather, Mr. White, then sexton of St. Mary's parish Nottingham, 

where a girl resided, in the capacity of servant, several years older than herself, who used to say to 
her, " Kitty, if you will get me a mouthful of pins by such, or such a time, I will give you so much 
" tuffy" K'tty use( l t° ^ e employed in sweeping the church several times a week, and was always 
very careful in picking up pins and needles, which she regularly stored in her mouth, for she received 
alike for both. She followed this practice, as she says herself, till she could neither eat, drink, or 
sleep without pins or needles in her mouth, having got out of bed many times to supply herself with 
them, in order to get some sleep. Indeed to such a pitch had she carried this strange habit, before 
the mischief was discovered, that her double teeth were worn almost to the gums by constantly 
chewing these little instruments of torment. At length she began to feel a constant numbness in 
her limbs, and a great disinclination to sleep, which, after various medical applications, was the 
cause of her being removed to the general hospital, where, as she says, she was the ninth patient. 
For the account of her extraordinary sufferings and her not less extraordinary cure, the reader is 
referred to the extracted minutes below. 

On asking her respecting her marriage, &c. she stated that John Goddard, a youth of her native 
village, who had sweethearted her from a child, to use her own expressions, was an out-patient in 
the hospital, for a complaint in his head, of which he lost an eye, when she was an in-patient, who 
used to cheer her by saying he would marry her if she lost all her limbs, providing her life was 



GENERAL HOSPITAL KITTY HUDSON. 173 



spared. And she still says, she believes that it was the cheering' of this young man, and her 
attachment to him, which enabled her to bear up against her sufferings. In about six months after 
her cure she was married to this faithful lover, by whom she has had nineteen children, eighteen of 
which lived to be christened, and she had three of them living at one time, though only one now 
remains, a girl of seventeen years of age; and she has been blind near two years, but, at the time 
this account was given, had received a little sight of one eye. Kitty says, from the loss of both her 
breasts, and a variety of other causes the doctors used to tell her she would never rear a child ; but 
she says God has enabled her to falsify their predictions. On being asked if she at any time felt 
any inconvenience from her past sufferings, she replied, nothing material, except that a pin or needle 
still remained in one of her left ribs, which, when she was heavy with child gave her great pain, 
and now hurts her sometimes. Her husband died in the present year, for whose memory she 
expresses the utmost attachment. And it is not a little remarkable, that somewhat less than four 
years ago, she was in our hospital with a broken leg, when she miscarried of her last child. She 
travelled as the Arnold post from that village to this town about four years, sometime ago. 

The remarkable case of Kilty Hudson, of Nottingham, who voided from different parts of her 
body many needles, pins, and pieces of bones, in a letter from Dr. Hugh Moises to Dr. 
Bradley. Extracted from the Medical and Physical Journal, Vol. VII. 

Dear Sir — Tn giving the following case, I faithfully transcribe the minutes taken by the physicians and surgeons 
of the General Hospital, Nottingham, under whose immediate care the patient (Kitty Hudson) was received, at her 
different admissions. As- a( some periods of her disease, frequent consultations ware held, th« minutes were 
more carefully made and preserved at those periods; while at others, when the symptoms were considered as less 
urgent, little, or very unsatisfactory, notice is taken of thorn. To this may be added, the unfortunate loss of one 
of the books, to which I was in consequence excluded a reference at the time I collected the case in my place-book. 

I had formerly mentioned the outlines of the case to mauy professional men, who held deserved rank in the medical 
world ; and of whom I might say, with Cicero, that they were 

lnteriores et reconditce literw. 
I, however, found that the tide of scepticism might hurry me into endless controversy, without a prospect of any 
practical advantage being derived from the discussion. With these impressions I hesitated to make the case public, 
(as it was my intention to have done at the Lyceum Medieum, in 1792,) well knowing that 

Philosophi celulem in litibus conterunt. 

In respect to the facts of this remarkable case, Dr. Storer, Mr. Wright, Mr. Bigsby, Mr. Attenburrow, Mr. 
Thompson, and every other professional man in the town of Nottingham, who were resident there at the time, are 
in full possession of, and are at liberty to confirm or contradict any part of my statement, according as I may be 
found correct or otherwise. I believe it was the intention of Doctor Snowden White, then senior physician to the 
Hospital, to have published it; but his premature death from phthisis haemopto'ica, I suppose, prevent' d his carrying 
his intention into execution.* It has, therefore, hitherto been but lamely communicated to a few practitioners; nor 
can I detail it in the manner I could wish, for reasons already given. The preserved facts of the case are before 
you, and for their being facts, I might pledge myself to you in the language of Terence,. 

Liquet mihi dejerare. 
16th November, 1801. I have honor to be, &c. HUGH MOISES, M. D. 



* The unfortunate sufferer told the author of the History of Nottingham at his interview with her, that Dr. White afterwards told 
lier he would publish the aceouut for her benefit. 

2 X 



174 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Kitty Hudson, a single woman, was admitted into the General Hospital, Nottingham, on the 4th of August 
1783, for an inflammatory affection of the right arm ; her usual occupation had been that of sweeping the pews and 
aisles of a church.— -On inspection of the arm two needles were discovered in the skin, a little above the dorsal side 
of the wrist. They lay in a transverse direction, and were readily extracted by pushing the points through the skin 
and laying hold of them with a pair of forceps. Upon a more minute examination, some more needles were felt about 
three inches higher up the fore arm, but farther back than the others, and more over the fiVxor muscles ; these Jay 
longitudinally, and appeared to have their heads downwards. These needles were extracted as before, a small puncture 
with a lancet having been previously made. (Of the number of the last-mentioned needles I find no mention.) 

Aug. 6th. Another needle is felt very plainly a little below the former place. 

7. The nurse, in attempting to extract one from her leg, has broken it, and left part of it in. A large needle has 
been taken away from her foot, which was laying across her instep, and among the tendons. 

Oct. 11 A very large darning needle was this day extracted from her right breast, seemingly buried within a part 
of the gland ; thinks she feels another needle very deep seated under the gland in the middle of the breast; complained 
of great pain in the breast after the removal of the needle, which in about an hour afterwards became so excessive as 
to throw her into convulsions. 

Nov. 1st. The convulsions have continued at periods till now ; the needle still appearing to lie very deep within the 
breast; and about Ihree days ago her jaws became locked; very weak and low ; pulse small and weak; made an 
incision quite through the breast, and extracted a large needle which adhered to the tendinous fascia covering the 
pectoral muscle ; afterwards brought the lips of the wound together by adhesive plaisters. (From this last report I 
find none other until) v 

Jan. 12th, 1784. Has now very severe pains in the breast; apply Goulard's fomentation sprinkled with laudanum. 

15th. Took her purging medicine last night, which had no effect ; fomentation increased the pain ; omit it. Touch 
the fungous ulcers with the weak solution of lunar caustic. 

Feb. 3d. Passed a pin yesterday by urine, which was not coated, or particularly corroded : and this day, with the 
same excretion, passed a needle. Had much pain in the sphiucter vesicas before and during the passage, and the urine 
bloody, though less so to-day. 

5th. Passed another needle yesterday by urine; is faint and low. 

11th. The breast healing fast, less pain, and the needle not easily distinguishable ; has had pain in the hroat and 
vomiting, which brought up blood ; feels still an obstruction in swallowing. 

12th. Brought up a needle by vomiting. 

14th. Had a needle extracted from her breast. 

16th. Complains of pain in the lower part of the thorax, betwixt the ribs, but nothing to be felt. 

19th. Pain now in her breast, as when a needle was there before, that between the ribs goue off. 

26th. Two days ago the whole of the breast began to be iuflamed, and the inflammation continues. 

March 3d. Inflammation gone off. 

8th. Still complains of pain deep seated in her breast, which prevents her resting. 

19th. The needle in the breast to be extracted. 

22d. It passed into the thorax during the operation ; part of the gland, which was schirrous, was removed. 

26th. No pain from the needle ; breathing easy. 

29th. Felt the needle in her stomach, and threw up a considerable quantity of congealed blood. 

April 5th. Has had no pain from the needle since last report; breast healing. 

8th. Continues mending ; no symptom of any more pins or needles. 

26th. Quite well ; dismissed cured. 

May 7. Is readmitted; about a week since was taken with a pain, a pricking sensation at the stomach, and vomited 
a matter which consisted of a solution of a pin similar to what she passed by urine, with some streaks of blood, 
attended with external inflammation, with two small ulcers, which are now much better. 

10th. Last night took tinct. theb. gt. Ixxx. Procund no rest; complains of great pain in the stomach, and thinks 
she feels two or three pins or needles, and that they change their position. 






GENERAL HOSPITAL— KITTY HUDSON. 1T5 



llth. Brought up thrfe pins, two csrroded, one not much so. 

17th. Plaister taken off; pain was relieved by it ; but the part sore and a little ulcerated ; stomach yet sore. 

2lst. Yesterday threw up matter similar to what came from her stomach when the pins were there; complains of 
much pain in her stomach, but no pricking feel, except when pressed; feels as if matter discharged from the part 
into the stomach; jaw locked, and a little subsultus tendinum. Ordered milk, whey, butter-milk and water, and 
weak broths frequently for diet. 

22d. Had very little rest during the night ; early in the morning got up and took three tea-spoons full of tinct. theb. 
without any sensible effect ; had frequent spasms in the course of the day; went into the warm bath this evening; 
was very faint and much convulsed on coming out, afterwards considerably better : took a bolus about eight o'clock. 

23d. Has had a tolerable night's rest; thinks herself much easier; no. relaxation of the jaw; has much pain and 
subsultus tendinum. 

24th. Somewhat freer from pain this morning ; has had several stools from the bolus ; went into the warm bath, and 
was much better after it ; has taken the tinct. theb. three times. 

25th. Has brought up a considerable quantity of matter since last night ; much relieved from pain, but no relaxation 
of jaw. 

29th. Feels more pain at her stomach, as if there were pins and needles ; sickness and vomiting ; jaw looser. 

June 2d. Yesterday brought up a pin : still feels pain and pricking at her stomach ; costive. 

3d. Brought up four pins together, and one singly before these.— Drink warm gum water. 

6th. Feels no pain but soreness. 

9th. Complains of a pain in left breast: apply linen dipped in Goulard's water, and sprinkled with laudanum.—. 
Stomach much swelled and hard. 

17th. Much pain in her stomach; two pins or needles to be felt on each side of her stomach. One needle taken 
out this day. 

29th. Dismissed relieved. 

Aug. 11. Re-admitted. On Friday last threw up a pin from her stomach; since easier there, but had a pin in 
right breast. One needle taken out from the surface, but has continued pain from one deep seated in the same breast, 
with spasms, and jaw stiff. "Warm bath this evening. 

16th. Spasms have been severe, and has taken the laudanum to the amount of 500 drops. No pain except in breast. 
Warm bath whenever the spasm or pain increases. 

20th. Great pain in breast, and in jaw, which was locked ; general convulsions and violent. 

22d. Took a boius on Friday, went into the warm bath, and was much relieved; repeated bolus twice on Saturday, 
and one last night, using the warm bath. A splinter came away from the inner angle of the lower jaw on the ri^ht 
side ; body open and jaw quite relaxed ; no spasm, but violent pain in the breast. 

26th. For several days has complained of great pain in her breast; and describes it to be as if several pins were 
lodged in the mamma and pectoral muscle, and lying between the two ribs. 

Aug. 30th. The right mamma was extirpated this day, in the middle of which a needle was found closely impacted ; 
an haemorrhage taking place in the evening, the dressings were removed, and a small artery was taken up ; a pin was 
found in the dressings. 

Sept. 4th. Complained of pain ; the dressings were partially removed; another pin was sticking to the dressings; 
four other pins were also discovered in the wound, which were removed without difficulty. One of the pins having 
lost the head, her perception was so accurate as to distinguish it before removing the dressings. 

9th. On removing the dressings two pins were found adhering to them. She rested well, and has lost every symptom 
of spasm or pain, except what is in consequence of the operation. 

7th. Two more pins were found lodging on the dressings this day, together with a plumb stone which she swallowed 
two days ago. No fever, but her stomach r.'jects what ever medicine is offered.* 



Th.s took place after her second breast was taken off, while the wound was still open, as she informed the author. 



176 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



8:h. The food taken, came away from (he wound in the form of poultice. 

9th. Complains of slight degree of paiu in different parts of the breast. The wound is in a healing state. 
10th. No material alteration. 

11th. The food swallowed still continues to work out at the wound, issuing from a sinus \\ ry small, and covered 
with granulations acting as a valve to it. Ordered to eat no animal food, or dry bread, but live only on milk diet in 
different forms, with sago and rice. Port wine half-a.pint per diem. 

12th. Complains of much pain, which she thiuks is owing to a piece of bone working ils way along the sinus to 
make its exit at the wound. The piece of bone she imagines is about half an inch long, and lather thick. 

13th. This morning it came away exactly as she had described it, and appears to be part of one of the ribs ; she still 
complains of mr.ch pain, and thinks there is another piece of bone making its way to come out. This evening the 
other piece of bone came away, covered as she had described it; and appears to be the end of one of the ribs, covered 
with a vast number of insects of the grub kind. 

14th. A great number of grubs came away with the dressings this day. 

15th. A small piece of bone came away with the dressings ; complains of much pain, as if there were several more 
pieces to come away. 

16th. This morning another piece of bone came away, rather larger than that of yesterday. 
17th. Complains of much pain and prickings in tin part; food passes through the sinus. 

18th. Two pieces of bone came away covered with a cartilaginous substance; from the kind of pain she feels, 
thinks there is another large piece of bone that will soon come away. 

19th. This morning the large piece of bone came away as she had described it; is much easier; almost every thing 
she eats or drinks still escapes through the sinus. 

20th. The wound looks well ; no food has passed the sinus to-day. 

21st. This morning four small pieces of bone came away, and there was also a considerable quantity of food on the 
dressings ; not so faint and low. 

22d. Five small pieces of bone and a quantity of food came away with the dressings. 
23d. She is much easier to-day, and very little food has passed through the sinus. 

24th. Passed no food through the sinus since yesterday, and takes it freely ; thinks the rib, from which the 
exfoliafation has taken place, is now detached from the back bone. 

27th. Does not take food so easily ; it is heavv at her stomach, and occasions nausea, but does not pass through the 
sinus • the rib feels to her as though it were broken into several pieces. One piece of carious bone came away this 
day. 

30th. One piece of bone came away on the 28th ; could take no food; was ordered nutritive clysters of milk and 
broth. Yesterday two bones came away, portions of rib ! feels as if more were lodged at the oesophagus ; feels as if a 
gathering was coming on lower on the ribs ; chilliness and shivering at times ; clyster came up in part at her mouth, 
and gave her pain ; lessen the quantity, and repeat them. Three pieces of carious rib came away this morning. 

Oct. 1st. This morning thirly-four pieces of bone were working their way through the sinus. Took a small 
quantity of bread and wine last night, which greatly refreshed her; eat some bread and milk for supper with some 
degree of appetite. 

2d. This morning was considerably better ; was got up, and walking about the ward in good spirits. After the 
wound was dressed, was seized with spasmodic affection of the lungs, almost producing suffocation, which was succeeded 
by rigor and fainting. No bone or aliment came away with the dressings. In the afternoon and evening was much 
better. 

3d. Continues nearly the same as yesterday. 

4th. The food she takes passes off by stool soon after she has taken it ; ordered to eat rice gruel as her principal 
diet ; take from 20 to 80 drops of laudanum half an hour before she eats any food. 

5th. Food continues to pass undigested, almost as soon as taken. The laudanum has not had any sensible effect. 
6th. This morning a portion of bone, about three quarters of an inch in length, of a curved form with points, was 
discharged by stool, since which she has been free from pain, and breathing easier. 






GENERAL HOSPITAL—KITTY HUDSON. 177 



7th. Took 80 drops of tinct. theb. without the least effect; complains of frequent rigors, succeeded by heat, several 
times a day. 

8th. Last night and this morning has taken 90 and 100 drops of tinct. theb. without any effect whatever. Can ge£ 
but little rest, from a universal soreness of the right side, which she describes as if her ribs were falling out of theif 
sockets. 

12th. Had nothing come away from sore till to-day, a few pieces of bone, (no number specified in my minutes); 
has had cough, and expectorated dark foetid matter, but not to-day ; complains of great pain in the stomach, as if a 
large piece of bone was there ; food passes off quick as before. 

14th. This morning brought up a large piece of bone; complains of great soreness of the oesophagus; food 
continues to pass unaltered, and almost immediately after being swallowed. 

19th. Feels now as if pins, or a piece of bone, were penetrating the bladder, or the right side near the neck of the 
bladder. 

21st. This day passed a piece of bone by urine. 

25th. On Saturday and yesterday she threw up blood, liquid, not congealed, she thinks about a tea-cup full. — 
Complains of pain in her stomach, but not as if any extraneous substance was lodged there. 

28th. Constant nausea and vomiting on taking food ; feels something thick and long, which seems to come to her 
throat, afterwards returns to the stomach, and lies heavy on the left side of her stomach. 

Nov. 1st. Symptoms as before, only yesterday morning, a red spot or two on the right breast, very sore and 
inflamed ; has now the appearance of an eschar, and covers the upper part of the breast; no sensation as of pins or 
needles, or any irritating substance in the breast ; frequent chilliness and heat. 

9th. Breast healing on the outside, but yet feels pain internally, as though there was bones in it; takes food better, 
and it stays with her. 

11th. Complains greatly of the heart-burn ; a thin discoloured matter discharges from an ulcer in the breast. 

15th. Felt as if a bone rose from her stomach ; she thinks the bones came from the left breast ; which is now healed 
excepting a small ulcer. 

18th. Still complains of heart-burn. Breast almost healed. Brought up two small bones yesterday. 

20th. Complains of rib on the left side, under the breast, feeling as if it was splintered ; heart-burn continues. 

23d. Had pain in her jaw, and stiffness ; went into the warm bath, which relieved her. 

Dec. 1. Breast very painful ; no cardialgia ; ulcer on the breast ; food stays; body open. 

8th. For the last seven days has had almost constant ichorous discharge from the breast, with the usual erysipelatous 
appearance, attended sometimes with great sickness. 

9th. Yesterday diarrhoea came on with discharge df matter. 

17th. Purging ceased ; still complains of much pain in the breast, and acid on the stomach. 

23d. Complains of much pain in her arm and shoulder. 

26th. Complains of pain in her breast, but much easier since the application of the blister. Dismissed cured. 

March 8th, 1785. On re-admission she complains of great pain in her left eye, that she describes as proceeding from 
her breast on that side. The eye-lid much swollen and inflamed, and one part of it has put on the appearance o£ 
eschar, that has been observed in other parts of the body to terminate in excoriation. 

11th. The right eye is now in the same state as the other, and equally painful. 

14th. A considerable quantity of blood was taken by the leeches. The swelling and inflammation is nearly gone. 

21st. She has complained of pains in the right side for several days, extending along the course of the right ureter, 
and this morning says it has stopped the discharge of the urine. On examination, a piece of bone was found lodged in 
the upper part of the vagina, on the right side of the os uteri, and was extracted. 

30th. To this time the symptoms have remained much the same, and five pieces of bone have been extracted at 
different times, since the 21st instant. N. B. One of the pieces was found making its passage into the vagina, at the 
part above mentioned, and after extraction the aperture was large enough to admit the point of a finger. 

(From this report I do not find any minute until) 

2 Y 



178 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Oct. 18th. Dismissed, cured. 

Jan. 3d. Readmitted ; fell down stairs ; head and side much bruised ; ordered to have the head shaved about th« 
part affected, and coveivil with cm pi. ncutrale. 

Feb. 3. Extracted four bones from the vagina, the whole about an inch long, to appearance exfoliations of the ribs. 
Complains of great pains in the side, as if more boucs were making their way downwards. Cutaneous ulcerations of 
the legs. 

4th. Extracted three bones laying across, and considerably farther within the vagina. The last bone seemed to be 
retained about half its length, within the sinus, from which they are supposed to make their exit at the lower part 
between the os uteri and rectum. Great pains of side and stomach ; alternative chills and flushing ; tongue white and 
furred : no appetite. 

17th. After making water complaints of lacerating pain of the right side, as if pieces of bone were still moving 
downwards to the vagina, and having alternate symptoms of pyrexia, sickness, pain at the stomach, &c. with hardness 
and swelling externally, where she supposes another needle to be deep seated ; she thinks she can fully distinguish its 
form and points. Several piece* of bone of uuequal sizes, some one inch in length, and half an inch in breadth, (about 
twelve in number) in their appearance like a divided portion of rib, putrid, blackish, and covered with offensive matter, 
some of them partially remaining within the sinus, betwixt the rectum and uterus, others loose within the vagina, have 
been extracted at different times since the 4th. 

Upon examining the matter brought up by vomiting,, some small insects were observed in the mass, which was of a 
darkish colour, very low and weak. 

18th. Still complains of violent pain, as if more bones were passing. Extracted three pieces, within the middle of- 
one portion (to appearance rib) of about a quarter of an inch in length and half an inch in breadth, a large pin was 
found running longitudinally through part of its substance, and firmly impacted. She thinks mote bones are woiking, 
downwards the same way. 

19th. -Extracted a very small needle from the fore part of the leg, near the outer ancle* and from the deep-seated 
pain near the same part, she fancies a pin is lodged. The erysipelatous ulceration, which affected the greatest part of 
the leg, has entirely gone off. 

20th. Have extracted another portion of bone, nearly one inch in length and half an inch broad, from out of the 
vagina, having two pins running parallel to each other, in the same manner as in that of the report of the 18th.— 
Feels more bone. The former symptoms still continue; ancles cedemataus at night; cannot sleep for pain, or retain 
any solid food whatever. 

25th. Complains of very lacerating, pricking pain all last night. Have removed a portion of bone, having a pin 
running through its substance longitudinally ;■ and another portion three-quarters of an inch in length and half an inch 
in breadth, with a pin running transversely through it, forming a right angle. Had a stool, which was streaked with 
blood; a continued discharge of pus, black and foetid, from the vagina; still complains of pain in the side, stomach, 
&c. with sickness as before. 

March 3d. Removed two narrow portions of bone, about one inch in length and three-quarters an inch in breadth ; 
one portion having two pins impacted longitudinally, the other only one. Thinks the whole of the loosened bones 
from the ribs are discharged, as she is fiee from lacerating pains; other symptoms continue; gets little or no 
sleep. 

5th. Complains of pain in the bowels, as if a bone was passing through them ; stools very black ; several of them 
in a day, with grubs, the same as in the matter vomited before. The stools ordered to be saved for examination. 

8th. Upon examination the stools were found very black, and a pin was discovered at the bottom of the vessel, 
discoloured, and seemingly in part dissolved by a menstruum. 

10th. Shortness of breath when lying ; the legs, thighs, and skin of the breast cedematous ; great distention and, 
hardness of the stomach and abdomen ; has passed no urine these three days. 

14th. Feels very great fulness with load at the stomach ; thinks no urine is secreted into the bladder ; has not made 
water these three days, nor has any inclination ; has chilly fits succeeded by heat two or three times a day; has stool* 
4aily, of a dark colour. 



GENERAL HOSPITAL— KITTY HUDSON. 179 



18th. (Edema, and tightness about prsecordia not so considerable ; complains of great pain in the bladder, especially 
during the excretion of urine, which is now more frequent; pain of the right leg from a pin. 

22d. Has complained for three days past of pain in her bowels, with purging to the extent of nine, ten, or eleven 
stools a day, with great pain in making water. The urine deposits a copious eaithly sediment, mixed with mucus of a 
greyish cast. 

24th. Purging continues ; makes very little water, and then with great pain ; in the night of the 22d had a very 
strong convulsion fit, which threw her out of bed, and bruised her very much ; has had frequent vomitings, as before; 
complains of great pains in the bones of the sacrum and loins ; the stomach not so much swelled or hard. 

April 20th. Violent pain in her bowels with continual purging ; has discharged two pins with some fragments of 
bone by stool : pain as usual in her right side. 

21st. Extracted some portions of bone (no number mentioned) from the sinus in the vagina, through one of which 
a pin was driven. 

May 1st. Great pain in her right breast, pricking as if several pins were buried deep ; the glandular parts enlarged 
and hard ; can feel two or three seemingly buried in the middle of these indurated glands; takes six or seven tea 
spoons full of tinct. theb. two or three times a day without any effect either in producing sleep or mitigating pain ; had 
several convulsion fits this night, which were only relieved by large doses of opium. (N. B. Each tea spoonful held 
100 drops.) 

4th. Pain this evening intolerable in her breast; took at eleven in the morning, eleven tea spoons full of tinct 
thebaica, and this morning tzvelve, which have not yet (eight o'clock) either alleviated the pain or produced any effect, 
excepting exciting nausea. 

(From this day we find no report until) 

June 12th. Dismissed, cured. 

July 26th, 1792. I have this day been credibly informed by a neighbour and relation of Kitty Hudson, that she is 
married, has two fine children, and enjoys better health than for several years past. 

At present I shall make no comment on the case; I feel it, however, a duty 1 owe to myself, (and to anticipate the 
attack of puny criticism) that I should here observe, that the language of the case throughout, is strictly that of the 
minutes preserved in the Case Books of the hospital, as taken thence by myself upwards of ten years ago. 

HUGH MOISES, M. D. 

When the reader reflects, that nearly thirty-six thousand of his suffering fellow mortals, either 
as in or owf-patients, have been entered on the books of this hospital within the space of thirty- 
three years ; and that upwards of twenty-seven thousand of that number have been restored, in a 
state of convalescency, to the fond arms of a husband, a wife, a child, a parent, or a friend, he will 
rather approve of, than censure the author's conduct in giving so minute a detail of an institution 
which dispenses so many benefits around. With what pleasure and inquiry will those pages be 
looked over, which contain the names of the benefactor donors, and subscribers ; and with what 
rapture will many hereafter point to this or that name, and exclaim to the conversing friend, "such 
V an one, whose name you there behold, and who ennobled human nature by being charitable to 
" the poor and distressed, was a relation, or an ancestor of mine! !" The physicians and surgeons 
too merit our highest commendation and praise, for devoting their time and exercising their talents 
in alleviating the sufferings of those who are daily falling victims to accident and disease. The life 
of man, like the earth's vast surface, is replete with flaws and irregularities ; and the question will 
not bear disputing, whether he is the most commendable who seeks to remove the asperities, and 
smooth the rugged passage ; or he whose conduct tends to make its irregularities still more 



180 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



conspicuous and troublesome, by punishing misguided mortals for errors, the commission of which 
they had but half the power to avoid ; or which, under other circumstances, they would most 
cautiously have shunned, 

The friends of this excellent institution, and the public at large, will excuse me for observing-, 
that there is one rule in the interior management of the establishment which- is very liable to be 
abused, viz. that which excludes a patient for ever, for irregularity of conduct. The language and 
behaviour of a captious and an over-bearing matron may so far irritate the mind of a patient 
(sickness always contributing to mental disquietude) as to produce words, which wounded pride 
and an ignorant consequence of office may construe into insolence ; and, thus an unguarded 
expression, flowing from an independency of soul, may be the cause of very great misery to, and 
.perhaps the death of a useful member of society. — It requires great circumspection and impartiality 
of conduct in the house visitors to guard against this evil. 

GENERAL LUJYATIC ASYLUM. 

The foundation of this extensive and well-constructed public building was laid on the 31st of 
"May, 1810, and it was opened for the admission of its unfortunate tenantry on the 12th of February, 
1812. It is situate on the declivity of a hill in the parish of Snenton, facing the Carlton road, 
and a few hundred paces without the boundaries of Nottingham liberties. 

The gentlemen who generously took upon themselves the general management of the infirmary, 
very early saw the necessity of an asylum for the wandering, half lost, and sometimes wholly 
neglected maniacs — they contributed very much, in their collective as well as individual capacities 
towards the accomplishment of an object so desirable ; and, till 1809, they regularly annexed a 
statement of the funds designed for its erection to the annual report of the state of the General 
Hospital, at which time the asylum fund was converted into a separate establishment. These 
humane and praise-worthy gentlemen could not see their fellow creatures, clothed in rags, or half 
naked, when deprived of their reason, parading the streets, the sport of coxcombs and thoughtless 
boys, without being painfully struck with the sight ; and they endeavoured to provide a remedy for 
^he evil. — As man is the noblest work of God ; and as his mental powers are given to him, as the 
grand palladium of moral happiness, the restoring one to the enjoyment of the faculties of 
ratiocination must be paying a tribute of gratitude to the Deity, and conferring a benefit on society, 
independently of performing a duty to the sufferer as a fellow man. Besides, the life of every 
passenger lies in the hands of the wandering maniac — or, if only a wound be inflicted by him, to 
whom can the injured person apply for redress? he may procure the imprisonment of the offender; 
and what then ! the sympathizing pity the misguided offender, while the only recompence the 
other receives, is the painful reflection, that his own misfortune has added to the misery of another, 
whose loss of reason loas his only crime. To which may be added, when men labouring under 
this dreadful malady, fall into the hands of the keepers of workhouses (which is uniformly the case 
wheu asylums are not to be had) they generally become worse; rather than better — To Ri store 

INTELLIGENCE TO THE HUMAN MIND, INTELLIGENCE AND HUMANITY ARE REQUIRED. 



GENERAL LUNATIC ASYLUM. 181 



The following short article, which appeared as an advertisement in the Nottingham newspapers, 
will give the reader an insight into the nature of the institution : — 

In pursuance of an act of parliament passed in the 48th year of his present majesty, intitled "an act for the better 
" care and maintenance of lunatics, being paupers or criminals in England ;" we do hereby give notice, that the 
General Lunatic Asylum, near Nottingham, has been declared to be completed, and in a state fit for the reception of 
lunatics, and other insane persons; and that the same will be accordingly opened for that purpose, on Wednesday the 
12th day of February next, and (on account of the fast-day) not on the 5th as before advertised. And for the 
information of overseers of the poor, notice is also given, that if any lunatic, or dangerous idiot, be chargeable to any 
parish within the county of Nottingham, or the county of the town of Nottingham, the overseers of the poor of every 
such parish, are by the said act required to give information of every such insane person, to a justice of the peace 
acting in and for that county wherein the parish to which such pauper belongs is situated, on which occasion the justice 
will make such orders concerning every such pauper as the law directs. And if any overseer of the poor shall wilfully 
delay or neglect to give information as above mentioned, he is by the same act of parliament rendered liable to the 
forfeiture and payment of ten pounds. 

N. B. If the patient be not a pauper, printed forms (necessary to be obtained for admission) may be had of Edward 
Smith Godfrey, Esq. treasurer, Newark; or of the director at the asylum. Dated the 6th day of January, 1812. 
EDWARD SMITH GODFREY, Clerk of the peace for the county of Nottingham. 
GEORGE COLDHAM, - - Clerk of the peace for the town and county of the town of Nottingham. 
THOMAS MORRIS, - - Secretary to the voluntary subscribers. 

The reader will have observed from the above,, that there are three, parties to this institution, 
viz. the voluntary subscribers, the town of Nottingham, and the county of Nottingham. The 
property of the institution is divided into twelve shares or parts, as are also its expenses and 
connective presentation ; seven of which parts or shares belong to the voluntary subscribers, jour 
to the county of Nottingham, and one to the county of the town of Nottingham. 

A report from the committee, appointed to superintend the erection of the General Lunatic 

Asylum, near Nottingham, delivered at the first anniversary meeting of the Governors, held 

at the Shire-hall, in Nottingham, on the 10th day of October, 1811, his Grace the Duke of 

Newcastle, President, in the chair : — 
My Lord Duke, 

The committee appointed to superintend the erection of the General Lunatic Asylum, near Nottingham, have 
agreed upon the following report. 

Your committee have endeavoured to discharge their duty, by conforming without deviation to the working drawings 
approved at a general meeting, and by exerting their utmost circumspection to prevent any unnecessary expenditure; 
your committee however, have been compelled by circumstances, not within their control, to exceed the sum which was 
originally supposed to have been adequate for the completion of the buildings. This increase has not arisen from any 
inattention, or error in the part of the surveyors, but from the unforeseen inequality of the rock upon which the 
foundations of the walls have been laid, which has rendered the removal of the ground unavoidable, and has added one 
story beneath the basement of the north.east wing, which however has afforded increased accommodation to the 
establishment. 

It is also stated by your committee that the fitting-tip and furnishing, for which no estimate could have been made at 
the commencement of the undertaking, are likely to impose upon the funds of the institution, a demand much beyond 
what was generally expected, so that the voluntary subscribers will require from the public bounty, a very considerable 
sum, for the performance of their engagements with the two counties. 

Your committee present the following abstract of the accounts, and beg leave to refer those governors, who feel 
desirous of inspecting the particulars, to the secretary at the General Hospital. 

2 Z 



182 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Work and labour of different kinds, partly executed by contract, and partly by measurement and £ s. d. 

valuation, according to (he original plans and estimates - - - - - - 11.783 6 1 

Extra work and labour in the subbasement, drains, Sec. measured and valued - - ,s£1352 J 3 

Extra earth, and rock digging and cutting in the subbasement, yards, courts, and founda- 
tions, by measurement, valuation, and daily labour ...... 963 19 

Amount of the two preceding charges ............. 2316 12 

Fitting-up and furnishing, partly ascertained and partly estimated ....... 1705 

Furniture and contingencies, not included in the above charge, together with the surveyors' fees, esti- 
mated at ". ... 1760 o 



Amount of the expense for completing, fitting-up, and furnishing the asylum with the courts, gardens, 

and contingencies as above specified ....-..-.-- 17564 18 I 

The lodge and stable ...'.. 500 

The purchase of the land, planting trees, and setting down hurdles - - - . - - 1755 



Total amount of expenditure .--..--. 19819 18 1 

Without running' through every minutia of this account, suffice it to say, that there was a 
deficiency of £4031 18s. of which sum the subscribers had to raise by further contributions 
£1673 14s. 2d. — The report then proceeds : — 

In submitting this statement, your committee feel no doubt in rcsppct of the means of supplying the deficiency, they 
entertain a well grounded confidence in the good will of the public towards a charitable institution, which in this county 
has never been solicited in vain, when a proper claim to it has been made out. The report concludes in the follow. 
ing words — Your committee, in putting a period <o this report, beg leave to approach your grace, and this assembly, 
in the language of congratulation, that their labours are thus brought to a close, by the completion of an object in 
itself so important, and which has well deserved the attention, so long and earnestly bestowed upon it. The general 
outline of the interior constitution and proper classification of patients in a public establishment of this nature, which* 
was delivered in this place, and to a similar assembly, three y»ars ago, has from a conviction of its correctness been 
uniformly kept in view, both in the construction of the public building, and in every other measure which has been 
adopted; and your committee venture to express a confident hope, that the expectations then held out to the public, 
are now in a fair way of being realized. 

The collections annually made in St. Mary's church and the assembly rooms, at the hospital 
anniversaries, are now divided between the two institutions, that is, those of one year are 
appropriated to the General Hospital, and the succeeding one to the General Lunatic Asylum. 

Doctor CHARLES PENNINGTON, Physician to the Institution. 

Mr. HENRY OLDKNOW, - . Surgeon. 

Mr. THOMAS MORRIS, - - House Director and Secretary. 

Mrs. ANN MORRIS, - - - Matron. 

OTHER CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 

The most important and distinguishable subject under this head, is the benefaction of Sir 
Thomas White, which is further distinguished by the appellation of the Cov entry -money . This 
great phylantropist was an eminent merchant in the city of London, and belonged to the company 
of Merchant Tailors ; and was Lord Mayor in the year 1553, the first of bloody Mary's reign. 

In 1542, Sir Thomas placed fourteen hundred pounds in the hands of the Mayor and Corporation 
of the city of Coventry, to be laid out in the purchase of an estate, the rent whereof to be applied 



CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 183 



for ever to charitable purposes ; and the Corporation on the 19th of July in the same year, bought 
as much of the dissolved priory lands at that place of Henry the Eighth, as cost them £1378 10s. 
6d. -which, a few years after, was valued at £70 a year. And on the 6th of July, 1551, an 
indenture was executed between the Mayor, &c. on the one part, and the master and wardens of 
the Merchant Tailor's company in London on the other part, which stated in what manner the rent 
of the said estate should be appropriated. During the remaining part of Sir Thomas' life, the 
Corporation of Coventry were to appropriate the whole proceeds of the estate to the re-edifying 
the city, in some degree, which was then in a very decayed state ; and during the next thirty-one 
years after his death, which happened in 1566,* they were to dispose of forty pounds a year by 
way of loan out of such proceeds, to certain young men of good name and thrift, during various 
periods of from one to nine years, who had served apprenticeships in the city. The indenture 
o-oes on to state, that the said Mayor shall, in the second year next ensuing the term of thirty- one 
years aforesaid, deliver or cause to be delivered the sum of forty pounds to the Corporation of 
Northampton, to be by them immediately delivered, by equal portions, to four young men, 
inhabitants of the said town, to have the occupation of the same for the term of nine years, on 
findino* proper security for the re-payment of the same. The third year Leicester, the fourth year 
Nottingham, and the fifth year Warwick were to receive the same sums, to be disposed of in like 
manner ; then the same to be disposed of to the said five cities and town alternately for ever. — 
The indenture further states, that the money shall be delivered without charge, and enjoyed during 
the time without interest ; that the four towns shall give security to the Corporation of Coventry, 
for the punctual delivery of the money ; and that the money so lent shall be repaid within one 
month after the nine years are expired, or within one month after the death of any person to whom 
it has been lent.f 

The history of the " Benefactions and Charities" of Coventry then goes to state, that "according 
'■': to the tenor of this indenture, £70 per annum out of this charitable benefaction was disposed of 
" near 130 years ; and this city quietly enjoyed the surplus of the said estate, as their own right 

* Pennant, in his History of London, informs us, that Sir Thomas White was born at Woodstock, and that he died in 1566, at the age of 
seventy-two. The following document is the last production of his pen, the original of which is kept among the archives in the tower of 
St. John's college, Oxford, and a transcript of it, with a facsimile of the author's hand-writing, is preserved in a farm-house at Fafirld, 
Berks, formerly the mansion of Sir Thomas. It was first printed in the Gentleman's Magazine in iT94, and considered a great rarity. 
" To Mr. President, the Fellows, and Scholars of St. John's, Oxon. 
" Mr. President, with the Fellows and Scholars, 

■' I have me recommended unto you even from the bottoaie of my hearte, desyringe the Holy Ghost maye be amongste you until! the 
" ende of the worlde, and desyiinge Almightie God that everye one of you maye love one another as brethren ; and I shall desyre you all 
"to applye your learninge : and soe doinge God shall give you b's blessinge, both in this worlde and the worlde to come. And further- 
" more, if any variance or strife does arise amonge you, I shall desyre you, for God's love, to pacify it as much as you maye; that doinge, 
" I put noe doubt but God will blesse everye one of you ; and this shall be th« last letter that ever I shall sende unto you, and 
" therefore I shall desyre everye one of you to take a coppye of that for my sake. Noe more to you at this tyme, but the Lorde 
" have youe in his keeping untill the ende of the worlde. Written the '27 of January, 1566. I desyre all to praye to God for me, 
" that I maye ende my life with pat'ence, and that he maye take me to his mercye. By me Sir Thomas White, Knight, Alderman 
" of London, and founder of St. John's college, Oxford." 

■f- It may be proper to state, that the person receiving the loan invariably pays the expense of the bond in this town — a contrary practice 
was once adopted, but was immediately given up, on the ground, that by taking the money trom the charity, the numerical benefits thereof 
would be materially lessened. 



18 A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" and property, till about the year 1692, when the members of the Corporation differing among 
" themselves about ihe division of the said surplus, Mr. S. Trough ton, bailiff of the 6aid estate, and 

" Mr. E. O n (who 13th January, 1691, had been dismissed from his office of clerk of the 

" council-house) made discoveries to the other Corporations, who are concerned in this charity, of 
" the improved value of the said estate ; of the city's leasing to one another at low rents, and of 
" the many large fines, which from time to time had been taken." 

In consequence of this discovery the Corporations of Nottingham, Northampton, Leicester, and 
Warwick, in hilary term, 1695, filed an information in the court of Chancery, in order to obtain 
an account of the surplus profits, and an augmentation of their respective shares of the charity. — 
The information remained undecided upon till the 13th of January, 1700, when it was dismissed 
by the Lord Chancellor and four of the Judges ; though certainly not without strong suspicion of 
" evenhanded justice" having been sported with ; for, on the plaintiffs appealing to the House of 
Lords, in February, 1702, the house ordered, that the court of Chancery should give such relief 
on the information as should be just; the Peers, at the same time, declaring it to be their opinion, 
that the increase of the value of the estate in question ought to be applied towards the several 
charities and appointments. In consequence of this order, the court of Chancery, on the 12th of 
June, 1703, decreed, that the full improved value of the said estate should be applied according to 
the order of the House of Lords. Directions were therefore given by the court for ascertaining 
the yearly value; and further directions reserved till the master had made his report. Accordingly, 
on the 9th of July, 1705, the master reported, that the clear yearly value was ,£612 12s. 2d. and 
that the fines taken on granting leases amounted to £750. A short time proved, however, that the 
Corporation of Coventry still possessed sufficient influence with the master to induce him to conceal 
the truth ; and, on the 10th of June, 1708, he was ordered to amend his report, which he did on 
the 9th of July, 1709, when he certified the clear yearly value of the estate to be £988 13s. 2d. 
On the 14th of October following the court desired, that the Corporation of Coventry should 
account for what they had received since the order was made by the House of Lords ; and a 
receiver of the rents of the said estate was appointed. And the master reported, that the sum of 
£2241 Is. 3d. was due from the said Corporation. 

When this immaculate Corporation found their power of corruption had failed with the higher 
authorities they applied its baleful influence to the members of the other four Corporations, and, as 
far as the will of the latter went, they succeeded ; for, on the 2d of Januuary, 1705, the parties 
met by appointment at Lutterworth in Leicestershire, and agreed upon the following division of 
the property, namely, that Coventry should give £825, to be divided among the other Corporations; 
and that, from the 10th of March, 1703, each Corporation should have sixty pounds a year. The 
imfamy of this contract soon became notorious; and the court of Chancery recommended to the 
Attorney-General to bring an information ex-officio against the aggressors, in behalf of the 
inhabitants of the several cities and towns, as paupers, to set aside the said agreement, and enforce 
the former decree. Accordingly, in the Michaelmas term, 1709, such information was preferred, 
accompanied with a request, that the trust of the charity might be transferred. And, on the 27th 
of February, 1710, the court declared the Lutterworth agreement to be very vile and corrupt, and 



CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 185 



entered into with an intent to evade the order of the House of Lords ; and decreed that the same 
should be set aside, and also that the Corporation of Coventry should pay the costs of the present 
application out of their own pockets. At the same time the former cause standing to be heard on 
the master's report, for further directions as to the £2241 Is. 3d. the Corporation were ordered 
to bring the same before the master in three months ; and, in the mean time the consideration of 
transferring the trust was suspended. After various shufflings on the part of the Corporation, the 
court decreed, on the 4th of March, 1711, that the trust should be transferred to a William 
Brumley, Esq.; and, on the 22d of May, 1712, a sequestration was issued against the Corporation 
estates for the recovery of the said £2241 Is. 3d. ; but, though the rental of these estates amounted 
to upwards of £700 per annum, the Corporation contrived to prevent the sequestrators from 
obtaining more than about £284, in the course of seven years. In consequence of affidavits 
presented to the court on the 22d of July, 1718, by the Corporation, the sequestration was 
suspended ; and, on the 13th of July, 1720, they paid the whole money, and obtained a discharge 
of the sequestration. Afterwards the Corporation applied to the House of Lords and to the court 
of Chancery for a re-occupation of the trust ; and, on the 24th, 25th, and -26th of October, 1722, 
this long litigated cause was finally argued by counsel on the part of the several Corporations and 
the Merchant Tailors' company, before the Lord Chancellor, and his lordship delivered a decretal 
order, and which restored the charity to its original purpose, and the trust thereof to the 
Corporation of Coventry, under some very wholesome regulations, one of which was, that, when a 
lease was to be made belonging to the charity lands, the common cryer should proclaim it round 
the city. It was also decreed, that there should be from time to time two books kept, one by the 
Corporation, and the other in the vestry of St. Michael's church ; and therein be entered copies of 
the schedules of the securities ; and the names and places of abode of the several persons, and 
their sureties receiving any part of the loan-money And that two other books be kept in the like 
manner, wherein shall be entered abstracts of the several leases, then in being, or afterwards to be 
o-ranted, expressing the parcels of land so leased, and the names and places of abode of the lessees. 
The Lord Chancellor concluded his decretal order, by inviting the inhabitants of any of the cities 
or towns interested in this charity, in case the rent of the estate be not properly divided, to apply 
to the court of Chancery for redress. His words are, " and any of the parties or of the inhabitants 
" of the city of Coventry, or of the towns of Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, and Warwick, 
" or any of them, or the magistrates or clerks of the council of the city of Coventry, are to be at 
P liberty, from time to time to resort to this court for such further orders as occasion shall require." 
Though taxed costs were finally awarded to the defendants in this suit, it must naturally be 
inferred, that much expense would be incurred which would not be refunded ; and to defray the 
whole or a part of such surplus, or to enable them to prosecute the suit while pending, I am 
credibly informed, that the Corporation of Nottingham sold a piece of land in Derbyshire, called 
Mansil Park, which belonged exclusively to their chamber estate. There is anether circumstance 
extremely honorable to our Corporation respecting the distribution of this charity, which is, — there 
is an order of hall, which precludes any member of their body from enjoying any part of it. — 

3 A 



186 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Compare this with the conduct of a neighbouring Corporation, and the contrast will be found most 

conspicuously honorable to one party, and dishonorable to the other. 

£ s. d* 

The net amount of the rents of this estate for the year ending at Lady-day 1813, was - 1661 9 7| 

Four. sevenths of which were appropriated to loans for Nottingham - *£949 8 4 

Four-fifths for alms to one hundred and forty-two poor freemen of Coventry . - §69 13 

Twelve-eighteenths to the Mayor, Recorder, and ten Aldermen of that city . - 94 18 9 

Three-eighteenths to the Merchant Tailors ........ 23 14 8£ 

Three-eighteenths to the clerk of the trustees - - - - - - - 23 14 8^ 

Fraction - Ji 

1661 9 71 

The sum thus brought, increased the total amount of Sir Thomas White's loan money in this 
town to £9850, which is let out in fifty pound shares to burgesses during nine years, free of 
interest; and the Corporation make it a rule of not letting the same person have a second loan, 
while fresh applicants can be found/ 

Deering mentions two other bequests as being left for distribution in loans in like manner to the 
foregoing, namely, ' f Mr. Perks (Lottery 13th July, 1620) at his going from this town, gave 5/. to 
" the poor, and £30 more to lend to six young men, burgesses of this town at £5 per man, by way 
" of free loan for seven years, and so after seven years are expired, to six others, to have the said 
" money as before for seven years, and so to six others from seven years to seven years for ever ; 
" they putting in sufficient security for payment thereof accordingly." The other is a bequest of 
£40 which our author says wasJeft by Robert Staples, on the 8th of February, 1631, which was 
to be lent in eight five pound shares, to young burgesses, for the term of six years, and so on for 
ever. He also gives us a list of six persons who received Perks's loan in 1641, and a list of eight 
persons who received that of Staples's in 1636 ; the account of the whole of which bequest our 
author says he found among Mr. John Town's papers, then in the possession of the Rev. Mr. 
Chappell, rector of St. Peter's. Now, as Deering wrote his antiquities more than a century after 
the last of these dates, he had no occasion to have mentioned these persons as having received the 
loans in question, if he could have found any authority for their having been received at a subsequent 
period ; and, as I cannot obtain any intelligence of these charities at the town clerk's office, it is 
fair to conclude, that they have never been distributed since the dates given by Deering. 

Lady Grantham, wife of Sir Thomas Grantham, in 1671, deposited two hundred pounds in the 
hands of the Corporation, the interest whereof was to be applied in perpetuity to the putting out 
poor burgesses' boys apprentice. The money annually arising from this deposit is divided into 
three, three pound shares, and the remaining pound is given for filling up the three indentures. 

John Barker, gent, of this town, in 1732, left £50 to be put out on good security, the interest 
to be applied once in two years to the putting out apprentice a poor boy belonging to St. Peter's 
parish ; the rector and churchwardens of that parish for the time being to be perpetual trustees for 
the charity. But, when the present workhouse was built, this charity, as the author has been 
informed, was most improperly applied to that purpose A mural monumental stone, the inscription 
on which is nearly obliterated, at the end of St. Peter's chancel, notices this benefactor. 

! 



CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 187 



Sir Thomas Mannors, by his will, dated the 30th of June, 1562, left a rent charge of £5 per 
annum upon a house in Wilford, to be distributed among the poor of the three parishes of 
Nottingham, at the discretion of the respective incumbents and churchwardens. This money was 
paid by the late Samuel Newham, Esq. of Wilford ; and is now by his widow. 

Roger Mannors, Esq. in 1601, granted a yearly donation of £b to be distributed in like manner 
as the last named charity. — Lost. 

William Willoughby, of Nuneaton in the county of Warwick, by his will dated the 3d of 
October, 1587, appropriated a property sufficient to buy four frize gowns once in every five year? 
to be given to the same number of poor women of this town ; and £6 to be divided among six poor 
men at the same time. He likewise left an annual donation of 6s. 8d. to be given to a godly 
preacher for delivering a sermon on. Whitsunday. He was buried, according to Deering, at 
Normanton-upon-Soar. This charity is received by the chm'chwardens of St. Mary's. 

Henry Martin, of this town, baker, in 1689, settled a rent charge of £3 per annum upon a 
house in St. James's-street, to be equally divided among the three parishes, and applied, with the 
approbation of the mayor, for the time being, towards apprenticing poor boys. This charity is, 
paid by the mayor's sergeant in equal parts to the overseers of the three parishes. He also pays 
six shillings a year from the same charity to the overseers of Lambley. 

Robert Shericin, alderman of this town, by his will dated the 28th September, 1638, directed 
that one half of the rent of a house in Angel-row, now the Bell inn, should be divided among the 
three parishes; and the churchwardens are enjoined to distribute the same to the poor in tivopenny 
shares every Michaelmas and Lady-day. Mrs. Lart owns the other half of this house ; and, in 
1807, she obtained a lease of the charity half for twenty-one years, at the rent charge of 15/. per 
annum, and on condition of expending a certain sum in repairs," 

Robert Sherwin, son to the above, by his will, dated the 19th of June, 1660, left a rent charge 
upon his estates generally of twenty-six shillings a year, with an order of distrainer upon any of his 
estates, in or about Nottingham, if such charity was not paid, for such money to be given weeldy 
by the churchwardens of St. Peter's to six poor widows who should attend the church on Sundays 
to hear divine service. This is the charity which was withheld a few years ago, and which would 
have been lost, had it not been for the gentlemanly and humane conduct of Dr. Staunton. 

Anthony Achman, or Ac ham, as Deering gives the name, gentleman, of Holborn, London, by 
his will, dated the 27th of June, 1638, left a rent charge of five pounds per annum upon some lands 
within, the manor of Asterly in Lincolnshire, to the poor of Nottingham, to be distributed in bread 
by the mayor at six several times in the year ; but it has long been customary for the mayor to 
deliver the same to the churchwardens of the several parishes for their distribution. This charity 
was withheld from 1811 to 1814, when it was recovered from the lord of the manor of Asterly by 
the praise-worthy exertions of Mr. Thomas Roberts, churchwarden of St. Mary's. 

S Sir George Peckham," says Deering, cc late of Denham in the county of Bucks, Knt. who out 

" of his noble disposition to works of charity and piety J by his last will and testament, gave to the 

" town of Nottingham one hundred pounds of lawful English money, the use and benefit to be 

f yearly distributed to the poor inhabitants there, by discretion of the mayor and aldermen of the 



188 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



(< said (own for the time being-, and departed this life the 23d day of July, 1635. This well 
iC meaning- gentleman for some time practised physic in this town, he was a mighty man for 
"judiciary astrology, as far as relates to the discovery of distempers to which the human fabric is 
" subject. He was a Roman catholic and an implicit believer of the Romish legends, with relation 
" to the miracles wrought by saints and the power of intercession, which in a great measure 
r appears by his death, which happened to him by too eager an act of superstitious devotion. This, 
" Lilly the astrologer in his own life, gives us an account of, after his rough manner. — " In the 
" year 1634, 1 taught Sir George Peckham, Knt. astrology, that part which concerns sickness, 
" wherein he so profited that in two or three months he would give.a very true discovery of any 
" disease, only by his figures. He practised at Nottingham, but unfortunately died in 1635, at St. 
4< Winifrid's Well, in Wales, in which he continued so long mumbling his pater-nosters and Sancta 
" Winij'reda orapro me, that the cold struck into his body, and after his coming forth of the well 
?f he never spoke more." — Whence this gentleman's charity should come, or of its distribution at 
any time I cannot learn any thing- ; therefore conclude it to be lost. 

William Robinson, of Hull, gent, by an indenture made the 14th of October, 1703, agreed with 
the Corporation of Nottingham, that, in consideration of his depositing in their hands one hundred 
pounds, they should pay six pounds a year for ever, that is one half of that sum to the vicar of St. 
Mary's, and the other half in equal proportions to the rectors of the other two parishes, to be by 
them distributed in bread to the poor. 

Mary Wilson, in 1647, left a rent charge of thirty shillings upon a close, called Trough-close, 
to be laid out in gowns, to be given to two poor women of St. Mary's and St. Peter's parishes 
alternately ; but the proprietor of the close had rather cloath himself with the money than the poor 
females, according to the donor's will ; and the charity has not been paid during- a considerable 
length of time. 

"Mr. Thomas Saunderson, gent, by his will, dated February 2d, 1711, left to the poor of 
" Nottingham 40s. per annum for the space of seven years, one moiety to the parish of St. Mary, 
" the other to be equally divided between St. Peter's and St. Nicholas's, and after the expiration 
" of that term, he left the rents and profits of his two messuages or tenements in Pilcher-gate in 
" Nottingham, together with the stables and gardens thereto belonging (except 40s. per annum) to 
" poor housekeepers of the three parishes, to be distributed in like proportion as above said." — 
Deering. 

These houses are large and substantial brick buildings on the south side of Pilcher-gate, and are 
respectively occupied by Mr. Salthouse, hosier, and Mr. Johnson, sexton of St. Mary's. The 
testator's will directs that there shall be constantly three trustees, and that, xm the demise of one, 
the other two shall fill up such vacancy by their united choice. The present trustees are, John 
Elliott, Esq. John Topott, Esq. and Mr. Martin Roe, draper in the Poultry. To them belongs 
the distribution of the charity, which, except in case of deduction for repairs, takes place once in 
three years ; and it is presumable, that their characters are a sufficient guarantee for such 
distribution being conformable to the donor's will. The £2 excepted by Deering, is annually 
paid into the hands of Samuel Smith, Esq. and Co. bankers, for the use of the Blue-coat School. 



CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 189 



Abel Collin, the worthy founder of the hospital in Friar-lane, bequeathed £20 to St. Mary's^ 
£20 to St. Nicholas's, and £15 to St. Peter's as a perpetual fund, to be laid out in coal, by the 
respective churchwardens, in the summer seasons, which were to be sold to the poor during winter 
at the summer prices. This practice has long- since ceased to be followed ; and, probably, the fund 
was absorbed in the general expenses of the parishes. 

William Gregory, gent, and John Gregory, his son, in 1650, settled a rent charge of two 
shillings a week upon four houses on the north side of Barker-gate, to be given in bread to the poor 
of St. Mary's parish. The houses are now uniform substantial buildings, adjoining the estate of 
Mr. Thomas Burton. 

Hannah Metham, by Aviil dated the 17th of December, 1687, left a rent charge of twenty 
shillings a year upon a messuage and bakehouse in Spread Eagle yard, Long-row, to be given in 
bread, baked at the said bakehouse, to the poor of St. Mary's parish, on Christmas eve. 

And Elizabeth Metham, by will dated the 24th of May, 1695, left an additional rent charge of 
thirty shillings per annum upon the same premises, to be disposed of in the same manner on the 
11th of November. The churchwardens received the bread, and distribute it. 

William Thorpe, of Blidworth, by his will dated the 26th of May, 1721, left ten shillings per 
annum, to the vicar of St. Mary's, on condition of his preaching a sermon on the 29th of May, in 
commemoration of the restoration of Charles the Second. 

William Burton, gent, of Hallam in Derbyshire, in 1726, bequeathed £100 to the poor of St. 
Mary's parish, for the legal interest of which the overseers stand accountable to the parishioners at 
large. This money is given away in bread, on St. Thomas's-day, at the workhouse, to such poor 
persons as apply, 

William Frost, farrier of this town, by his will dated the 20th of September, 1781, left £500, 
the interest of which to be given, by the vicar and churchwardens of St. Mary's parish, to such 
poor housekeepers within their jurisdiction as do not receive parochial aid. 

Henry Locket, gent, of this town, by his will dated June the 12th, 1790, left £55 the interest 
of which to be intrusted to the same hands, and disposed of in the same manner as the last named 
bequest. The capital of both is in the three per cent, consols,, and, in 1808, was transferred to the 
Rev Dr. Bristow, vicar, and to Mr. Tollinton and Mr. Cullen, churchwardens.* When Mr. 
Thomas Roberts (who was chosen churchwarden by the parishioners) received the accounts from 
Mr. George Stretton, his immediate predecessor in office, at Easter, 1814, he found no account of 
the receipt or distribution of these two charities; nor did he receive any information on the subject 
till his going out of office. He then applied to the vicar, and found that he had regularly drawn 
the interest, and that the principal part of it was disposed of. The vicar, however consented to 
give eight pounds a year out of the interest to the churchwardens, for them to distribute, retaining 
the rest to be given to such poor persons as he might select ; and he accordingly paid to Mr. 
Roberts sixteen pounds for two years. Mr. Roberts likewise applied for, and obtained from the 



* As this money cannot be drawn without the consent of the churchwardens they will always have the power of seeing it properly 
distributed; and, in so doing, they will have performed an essential part of their duty. 

3 B 



190 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



sexton a satisfactory account of the distribution of the remainder of the two year's receipts. This 
was an act of justice, and not of suspicion ! 

Thomas Roberts, fellmonger in Narrow- marsh, left a rent charge of fifteen shillings a year upon 
his house on the south side of that street, now possessed and occupied by Mr. Thomas Koberts, of 
whom we have just been speaking, and who pays the bequest in question ; ten shillings of which is 
given to the churchwardens for their distribution to the poor, and five shillings to the Blue-coat 
School. It is proper to observe, that, till Mr. Roberts became churchwarden, the ten shillings was 
regularly entered into the churchwarden's accounts as public property ; but he caused it to be given 
to the poor in bread, and thus fulfilled the will of the donor. 

Robert Staples, who has been mentioned before as a friend to the poor, left a rent charge of 
twenty shillings a year upon two shops in Shoe-booth, to be paid to a godly and learned divine for 
preaching one sermon on the Sunday before Whitsunday, and another on the previous Sunday to 
Christmas-day ; the subject of each to be, to exhort the congregations to acts of charity to the 
poor. The shops stood about the centre of the north side of Shoe-booth, on the site of which stands 
the house now occupied by Mr. William Gaskill, broker — the property has lately been purchased 
by the Corporation. The rent charge used to be paid by the Rev. Dr. Haines ; but since his 
death, I believe it has been discontinued ; at least it has not been paid since that time to the vicar 
of St. Mary's. 

Luke Jackson, of the city of London, in 1630, bequeathed two-thirds of the tithes of Horsepool 
in the county of Leicester, to the rector and poor of St. Peter's parish, Nottingham, for ever; viz. 
forty shillings a year to the rector, on condition of his preaching a sermon on the 28th of July, that 
being the anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and one on the 5th of 
November, in commemoration of the gunpowder plot, in 1605 ; and the residue to be given to the 
poor. In 1793, the income of this bequest was valued at ,£45 per annum. 

William Greaves, rector of Nuthall in this neighbourhood, in 1639, settled a rent charge of 
twenty shillings a year upon a house in Bridlesmith-gate, to be paid to the churchwardens of St. 
Peter's for the use of the poor of that parish. Deering says, that the house was in the occupation 
of a person of the name of Cartwright Shaw, a glazier, at the time the bequest was made ; and 
closes his remarks with observing, " this was never paid." I have made every inquiry in my power 
to ascertain this house, but in vain. 

William Skiffington, Esq. in 1634, left a rent charge of twenty shillings a year upon a house 
at the north-east corner of Rridlesmith-gate to be distributed in bread to the poor of St. Peter's on 
the Tuesday before Easter. This house is the property of Mr. Charles Sutton, printer, stationer, 
&c. and here the Nottingham Review is printed. The money is regularly paid by him to the 
churchwardens. 

John Burrows, in 1659, directed twenty shillings a year to be paid out of the rent of some 
property in Basford, to the rector of St. Peter's for preaching two sermons, the one on Easter and 
the other on Whit-Monday. 4 ' 

Mary Laivton, by her will dated January the 24th, 1632, left a rent charge of twenty shillings 
a year to the poor of St. Peter's, upon three small houses in Lister-gate. The houses stood at one 



CHARITIES AND BENEFACTIONS. 191 



corner at the upper end of the street ; and, some years after the death of the donor, was in the 
possession of one Robert Nichols ; but the money never was paid. 

William Drury, of this town, in 1676, left a rent charge of twenty shillings upon two leys of 
ground on the Rye-hills in the meadows, then of the annual value of thirty-five shillings, to be 
distributed to six poor widows of St. Peter's parish ; with this proviso — if his heir neglected or 
refused to pay the donation, the minister of the parish to seize upon the property — to pay the 
money as directed, and have the remainder for his trouble. 

Jonathan Paramour, gent, the same, I presume, that Deering alludes to as having been an old 
servant in the castle, in 1730, purchased an acre of land in the meadows, and settled it as a property 
upon the rectory of St. Peter's, in consideration of the rector preaching a sermon on Ash- 
Wednesday, and one on the Ascension-day for ever. 

Thomas Trigge, alderman, gave fifty pounds, in 1704, to buy land with, the rent whereof to be 
given to the poor of St. Peter's on Christmas-day and Good-Friday, by the minister, churchwardens, 
and overseers of that parish. 

There is a charity belonging to the last named parish, known by the name of the Lenton-charity , 
which consists of a parcel of land within the liberties of that village, called Duck-meadow ; and is 
held by a person of the name of Hollingworth at the yearly rent of ten pounds, which the church- 
wardens dispose of among the poor according to their own discretion. The close is bounded on 
two sides by the estate of John Wright, Esq. 

The author has an old manuscript by him which says, " 1759, Mr. William Parnham left 

" pounds to the clergyman of St. Peter's, to read prayers on the first Sunday of the five summer 
'• months at five o'clock in the morning, and to give the sacrament on Easter and \\ hit-Sunday 
fi at six o'clock in the morning." What the sum is -I have not ascertained ; but, the prayers are 
read as directed, and the clerk and sexton have six shillings a year each for their attendance. 

Dr. Grey, who, according to Deering, was a physician here, and died at Bilborow in 1705, left 
twenty pounds as a charity, the interest of which to be given, at Christmas and Easter, to the poor 
of St. Nicholas's, at the discretion of the rector and churchwardens. This charity was increased to 
£30 per annum by the Rev. Mr. Abson. 

Anthony Walker, a traveller, in the year 1714, devised the rent of a copyhold estate at Matlock, 
in the county of Derby, consisting of six acres of land and two cottages, to the poor of that parish 
where he might chance to breath his last, which happened to be in a house near the bottom, and 
on the west side of Lister-gate, in the parish of St. Nicholas in this town, about three years after 
the will was made : the house stood at the south end of that part of the Bridge estate which lies in 
Lister-gate, and has lately been taken down, and hitherto, not rebuilt. It is related of Walker, 
that he was left an orphan when young, and that he had to encounter the cutting adversities, too 
often the portion of that class of unfortunates — that, when he arrived at manhood, he saved as 
much money as enabled him to buy a pack-horse, and after that others, with which he travelled 
till near the day of his death ; and that he carried" his will in his pocket. In 1720, Francis 
Newdigate, Esq. and Mr. John Else, churchwardens, obtained a surrender of the estate to them 
and their heirs, for the use specified by the testator. 



192 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



"Jacob Tibson, by indenture bearing date March the 13th, 1729, did give to the poor of the 
" parish of St. Nicholas, a messuage divided into two or more tenements, with cellars, &c. situated 
" in Lister-gate, the rent thereof to be distributed half yearly to a number of poor housekeepers as 
" shall be judged proper objects by the said minister and churchwardens, not exceeding five shillings 
ie to each. N. B. The premises are but in a bad condition, and therefore not extraordinary well 
" tenanted ; the present rent is £4 lis. almost one half of which goes in repairs." Deering. 

This " messuage'' occupied the ground on which are the two southernmost of those three very 
hiffh houses, and the entry between the second and third, which stand on the west side of Lister-gate 
the third being erected on freehold land, and also forms the boundary, in that direction, of St. 
Nicholas's parish. In contempt of the donor's will (if Deering's account be true, and I have no 
reason to suspect its accuracy) these premises were divided into nine apartments and converted 
into a kind of hospital for the reception of such poor persons belonging to the parish as the officers 
chose to put in. But this is not the worst part of the business : for, some twenty years ago, the 
parish officers advertised the estate for sale ; but, for reasons which then appeared, no purchase? 
could be found. About the year 1802, however, the parish contrived to sell the estate to the late 
Mr. James Harrison, butcher, in Castle-gate, who about that time served the office of churchwarden, 
the money, as 1 am informed, being appropriated towards paying for the additional burying ground, 
which had been bought on credit of the late Lamuel Lowe, Esq. The poor occupiers of the 
premises, who were principally far in years, before they could be prevailed on to quit, obtained a 
pledge from the parish for the payment of their rent in other habitations so long as they lived.* 

This Mr. Tibson, about three years before his death, gave £40 to the rector and churchwardens, 
the interest of which to be given, at their discretion, to poor housekeepers of this parish. 

Elizabeth Bilby, formerly wife to the last named benefactor, gave £20 to the Corporation, the 
interest of which to be paid to the churchwardens and overseers of St. Nicholas's parish, for them 
to distribute to their own poor at Christmas and May-day for ever. 

John James, an eminent tanner in this town, and who served the office of mayor in 1646, left a 
little property at his death, the rent of which to be applied to charitable purposes. It consists of a 
small plot of ground and a cottage, called the Wine Tavern, at Ashover, in Derbyshire, and a 
parcel of land at Basford, in this neighbourhood, which unitedly produce about £22 per annum. 
A certain portion of this is ordered to be given to two godly ministers, and the rest to be distributed 
at the discretion of the trustees, who have the power of filling up vacancies in their number by 
election among themselves. They at present consist of John Fellows, Esq. N. Stubbins, Esq. Mr. 
T. C. Smith, and Mr. John Stone, hosiers, and Mr. H. Enfield, solicitor. 



* The author waited upon one of the executors of Mr. Harrison, to inquire what sort of title had been given with this estate; but 
all information was refused. 



REMEDY FOR ABUSES OP TRUSTS. 193 



As it must be the wish of every man, that has any regard to character, to promote the distribution 
of charitable funds according to the will of the respective donors,, the author hopes it will accord 
with public approbation, to close this highly interesting chapter with the following act of parliament, 
with the annexed head from the 3d volume of the Philantropist, from which it is extracted ; the 
author having been furnished with the document, in consequence of his own remarks on the subject 
of public charities, which appeared in pages 156, 7, 8, and 9, of the 8th number : — 

te Remedy for Abuses of Trusts created for charitable Purposes. 
" TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHILANTHROPIST. 

f 

" Sir — To the unwearied exertions of Sir Samuel Romilly, society is indebted for the act of 
" parliament I now send you. Heavy expenses and the law's delay have hitherto deterred men 
" from any attempt to rescue property from the hands of wealthy corporations or interested 
•' individuals, though large estates have been lost to the public, which piety and benevolence 
" originally devoted to purposes of charity, for the succour of the aged and the instruction of the 
" young. The right now given to any man, of proceeding by petition, ensures dispatch, and 
" exonerates from loss. 

" I hope the knowledge of this right will stimulate many to active exertions. 

ec I am your's, &c. 

" Cjjp. CI. — An Act to provide a summary Remedy in Cases of Abuses of Trusts created for 

" charitable Purposes." 

[9th July, 1812.] 
Whereas it is expedient to provide a more summary remedy in cases of breaches of trust created for charilabl* 
purposes, as well as for the just and upright administration of the same: be it therefore enacted by the King's most 
Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons in this 
present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that, from and after the passing of this act, in every 
case of a breach of any trust, or supposed breach of any trust created for charitable purposes, or whenever the 
direction or order of a court of equity shall be deemed necessary for the administration of any trust for charitable 
purposes, it shall be lawful for any two or more persons to present a petition to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, 
or Lords Commissioners for the custody of the Great Seal, or Master of the Rolls for the time bcin^, or to the Court 
of Exchequer, stating such complaint, and praying such relief as the nature of the case may require ; and it shall be 
lawful for the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, and Commissioners for the custody of the Great Seal, and for the 
Master of the Rolls, and the Court of Exchequer, and they are hereby required to hear such petition in a summary 
way. and upon affidavits or such other evidence as shall be produced upon such hearing, to determine the same, and 
to make such order therein, and with respect to the costs of such applications as to him or them shall seem just : and 
such order shall be final and conclusive, unless the party or parties who shall think himself or themselves aggrieved 
thereby, shall, within two years from the time when such order shall have been passed and entered by the proper 
officer, have preferred an appeal from such decision to the House of Lords, to whom it is hereby enacted and declared 
that an appeal shall lie from such order. 

2. Provided always and be it further enacted, that every pctftion so to be preferred as aforesaid, shall be signed by 
the persons preferring the same, in the presence of and shall be attested by the solicitor or attorney concerned for 
such petitioners, and every such petition shall be submitted to and be allowed by his Majesty's Attorney or Solicitor 
General, and such allowance shall be certified by him before any such petition shall be presented. 

3. And be it further enacted, that neither the petitions, nor any proceedings upon the same or relative thereto, nor 
the copies of any such petitions or proceedings, shall be subject or liable to the payment of any stamp duty whatever, 

2 C 



194 



CHAPTER VIII. 

TRADE. 



The most unpardonable error in the historians of our country is, the slovenly manner in which 
they have treated on trade, in the earlier ages : even the masculine genius of Hume either sunk 
under, or he overlooked this important task. We read the history of British, Saxon, Danish, and a 
number of Norman kings, and the principal subjects we find are — that they were born in such or 
such a year — that they ascended the throne by means of murder, intrigue, or permission at such or 
such an age — that such and such women became their wives, and others their concubines — that 
they begot so many children, some lawful, and others not so — that they engaged in so many wars — 
that they were brave, cowardly, hypocritical, merciful, or just — and, that they died at such a time, 
either by the hand of violence, or by nature's unerring laws. 

It is an almost universal maxim with people, when trade and commerce are under discussion, to 
speak of them as being exactly the same thing. If trade be spoken of as a general principle, the 
conclusion is proper ; but still, trade and commerce may be fairly separated. Trade may be 
carried on without commerce ; but commerce cannot be carried on without trade. The dull 
plodding practice of home traffic, such as a huckster's buying a cart load of peas, and carrying 
them to the next market town for sale, constitutes trade in a limited sense ; whereas it requires an 
exchange of merchandise between nation and nation to constitute commerce. A shoemaker, a draper, 
a joiner, &c. is a tradesman, and many in those classes are most respectable tradesmen too; but a 
man must be a merchant, before he can be called a commercial man. Trade, in the limited 
application of the word, never can, with propriety, assume the name of commerce, though commerce 
may that of trade; for, properly speaking, it is the trade of nations ; in which sense I wish to be 
understood while speaking of it as a general operative principle on this interesting subject.* 

Trade brushes off the rust of barbarism, and supersedes, by politeness of behaviour, the rude 
customs of seclusion, the consequent attendants upon those who inhabit mountains and woody wilds. 
It sunders the benumbing chains of feudalism ; softens and harmonizes the passions of, otherwise 



* The dist'ngu ; shing, and often disgusting, pomposity with which some men attach the appellation of trade to certain mechanical and 
handicraft occupations, merely because certain monarchs have grat'fied one part of their subjects at the expense of the other, is too 
preposterous to merit a serious discussion. These and such like boons, as they were called, were granted by wily or wicked monarchs, in 
hopes of gaining some important object, while the public opinion was divided about a name. Tyrants sometimes fatten on the folly of their 
subjects, as a knave does on the credulity of a religious devotee— Charters granted under the pretext of protecting particular businesses 
were so many phantasmagorias exhibited by the cunning to deceive the weak. Charles the Second granted by charter to his brother, 
afterwards James the Second, the exclusive right of carrying on the slave trade on the whole coast of Africa during a thousand years. — 
See Parliamentary Chronicle for 1792. , 



TRADE. 195 



unconquerable originality; socializes the jarring interests., attempers the prejudices of mankind. 
Trade engenders new desires in the human breast — new desires in the human heart — new desires 
beget refined wants, which propel the hand to industry, and foster in the brain the germs of 
invention — invention gives new impulse to rivalship and exertion, and spreads the banners of envied 
and inspiring prosperity far and wide; while these in their turn become the fountains from which 
the meandering streams of labour and wealth flow with fertilising rapidity through the land : hence 
the spurs of emulation force into activity the dormant faculties of the body and the mind. Trade 
speaks the language of all nations, and thereby becomes the interpreter of the wishes, and the 
explainer of the interests of those who inhabit the most distant regions of the earth. It enables 
the rich to glitter in their gold, to sparkle in their diamonds, to be clad in their ermines, and to 
indulge in all the delicacies of fancy and of taste ; while it also enables the poor to obtain many 
enjoyments which would otherwise be denied to them in their humble sphere of life. Trade is the 
fountain of prosperity, and the sinew of action in war, particularly in a country like ours, that is 
isolated from the rest of the world by the rude and surgy deep. It cloaths the land with towns and. 
cities, instead of wilds and forests; and with men, instead of savage and devouring beasts; and. 
thereby gives wealth to the landed interest, and comfort to the labouring poor; and, if that comfort 
be withheld by artificial means, to trade the fault is not to be attached. 

The Economists, or those men who contend that the trade of nations is not necessary to the 
support and greatness of any particular country, may exclaim, " this is all mere rant and ipse 
" dixit; you give us no proof of the truth of your assertions ; whereas we can name China, that 
" is great, powerful, and rich, and this too without commerce, comparatively speaking, or any 
" external relations " Very well ! all this is granted to exist in appearance ; and if you would 
condescend to reason a little on the subject the cause would appear very plain. 

The empire of China, as long swayed by her present race of emperors, is about 1800 miles 
long and 1600 broad ; consequently it embraces (as we know it does) as great a variety of climates, 
and brings forth as great a variety of productions as all Europe together ; nay more, for it produces 
some of those articles which we call luxuries, and which we find ourselves impelled to fetch from that 
and other distant countries : the extremities of that vast empire producing articles of directly 
opposite qualities ; and the country abounding with canals and navigable rivers, by which means 
the trade carried on between the different provinces is equal to that of all Europe. The internal 
trade of China stands in the same point of view as the external trade of other countries. But 
because China possesses within itself the means of gratifying its numerous population with the 
luxuries as well as the necessaries of life, it is made an object of contention with the economists 
against the commerce of other nations. As well might they say, because a farmer can obtain a 
basin of milk by calling upon his milkmaid, that a poor man, without cow or servant, can do the 
same — the one has the means within himself — the other has them to seek ! 

Supposing all Europe was under one government, would that alter the nature of its productions, 
or the connections of its different parts, relative to the demand for the productions ? certainly not 1 
That trade, which is now called commerce, as carried on between its different states, were the 
whole consolidated into one vast empire, would be called internal traffic ; and thus the true 



108 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



principle of trade would exist the same, only the manner of transacting it would be known by a 
different name. 

We will now state a few propositions, which the enemies of trade will have more difficulty in 
answering' than the foregoing-. 

Let the reader turn his attention to Phoenicia, to Tyre, to Egypt, to Carthage, to Palmyra, 
to Venice, to Genoa ; states and kingdoms that sprung- from trade ; that were matured by its 
fecundating springs ; and that gradually fell to decay when its mellifluent streams were turned into 
other channels. In these places, where once beamed every comfort, every enjoyment, every art, 
every refinement, and every luxury, which owe their birth to industry, the cold blooded economist 
will find his dogmas answered by the howling- of wild beasts, the depravity of man, the sterility of 
the soil, and the half stifled and solemn language of settled misery and despair. Ghent, Brug-es, and 
Antwerp, though merely single cities, were abounding in arts and refined enjoyments, by means of 
trade, while London and Paris, which knew little of its advantages, were mere sinks, their 
inhabitants not possessing, or even knowing the use of a chimney. These are facts which defy 
the petty arts of sophistry to overturn, or even to shake their foundation in the public eye. There 
are millions however, that enjoy the blessings of trade, who know not how to use the pen in its 
defence ; but once take it from them, and they will answer all the wily sophisms of the economists 
in these few words : — " Give us bread ! — give us employment for our rusting spindles, our 
" deserted benches, and empty looms !" The sophist might tell them in reply, that they were 
quite happy ; and lhat the reason why they did not know it, was wholly owing to their own stupidity 
— they would hear him with amazement, and answer him by showing him their tattered garments, 
and their bodies worn to the bone for want of the necessaries of life ! 

Louis the Fourteenth, once asked Monsieur Colbert, what could be the reason why France, with 
all her power, was baffled in her endeavours to conquer the diminutive United States of Holland? — 
The reply of that great statesman was long, circumstantial, and unreserved, the substance of which 
is as follows : — Monsieur Colbert said, that, as France possessed thirteen millions of people, with 
ei°-ht acres of land to each person, while Holland had only three millions of inhabitants, and no 
more than three acres to each, it could not of course be for want of land that France was not more 
powerful, rich, and happy than the republic ; and yet, that such was the miserable fact, was too 
well known to be denied. That the rich people of France were compelled to pay nearly the whole 
of the national imposts, because, for want of due encouragement being given to trading pursuits, 
the poor were reduced to a state of absolute want, and were therefore unable to bear their just 
proportion of taxes. That the country abounded with beggars ; and happy indeed was the peasent 
that could obtain a pair of wooden shoes as a covering to his feet, and plenty of black bread and 
onions for his food. That the mechanics and artizans were carrying their ingenuity and industry 
to a foreign, because a better market, which not only deprived Louis of his most useful subjects, 
but likewise added strength and riches to his enemies. That the Dutch were in every respect in a 
directly opposite situation — That the imposts npou their trade nearly supplied the whole revenue 
of the state; and, consequently, that the land, by being- unfettered with taxes, rose in its value, 
was well cultivated, and thereby produced provisions in abundance, which could be afforded at 



TRADE. 19T 



reasonable prices; therefore industry every where smiled, and there were no beggars to be found! 
And that the Dutch, having something- worth defending, fought in defence of their country, not 
like machines, but as men who know the value of what they possess. 

The consequence of this honest and judicious reply was, the advancement of Colbert by Louis 
to the important situation of minister of finance and the arts. The mighty, the comprehensive 
genius of Monsieur Colbert was now let loose : he soon filled the empty coffers of his master, not 
so much by laying on new taxes, as by enabling the people to pay the old ones. He made them a 
trading nation ; and they rose from beggary to comparitive opulence, as the fabled phoenix rises 
from its ashes, in consequence of those ashes receiving new life by the fructifying dews of heaven. 
In the course of little more than a century, France doubled her population, which had been rendered 
stationary by the application of the sterile doctrine of the economists ; her land became cultivated, 
in proportion as her manufactories increased ; and, instead of not being able to cope with the 
Dutch, she has made all the rest of Europe tremble at her arms. 

Englishmen, more than any other people on the earth, ought to £>ffer up their devotion at the 
altar of trade, as they not only enjoy the benefits arising from it, which other nations enjoy, that are 
engaged in commercial pursuits, but they likewise owe to it the inestimable possession of their 
civil and religious liberty, the truth of which we will endeavour to make appear. 

Britain was famed among the Phoenicians and Greeks, long before the birth of Christ, for the 
excellency of its Cornish tin ; the knowledge of which fact is worth more than a million of volumes 
composed of monkish legends, as it proves that the whole Of the ancient Britons did not consist of 
ignorant barbarians, till instructed by their conquerors, as is too generally believed ; there being- 
no possibility of men worming ore from the bowels of the earth, and preparing it for use, without 
some knowledge of the mechanical or chymical arts. Some circumstance entirely fortuitous might 
cast the first load* of tin in the way of the Cornish natives, lumps of which, from its ponderosity 
and peculiar appearance, they might preserve ; and which would probably be shewn as articles of 
curiosity to the first friendly adventurers that set their feet upon the shore. These, doubtless, were 
the Phoenicians, who, from the knowledge they possessed of the value of metals, and the means of 
preparing them for the use of man, would instruct the Cornish natives how to give them malleability 
by means of fusion, probably conditioning, in the best manner they could, for the exclusive privilege 
of the traffic. An art once implanted in the human mind, naturally begets others; and a slender 
progress in the refinement of manners is a natural consequence. Thus by little and little the 
understanding becomes expanded, and receives new ideas of human polity, and of the necessity of 
forming associations for mutual defence and congregated independence, unknown to the inhabitants 
of any country in nature's rudest state. This will account for the marked distinction which is 
always found to exist, between the manners of those that inhabit the skirts of a country, and those 
who dwell in the interior, before the nature of civil government is generally understood And here 
the powers of trade shew themselves to the humblest capacity, upon the habits and manners of 
mankind. Immediately on emerging from the original state of society, those who are ever so little 

* This is the name which the Cornish miners apply to a stratum, or bed of ore. 

3 D 



198 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



practised in external traffic will see the necessity of wearing' some kind of cloathing, not so much to 
screen the body against the inclemency of the weather, as to conceal certain parts of it from the 
eye of curiosity, in order to prevent the rising- blush — Whenever shame has found a seat in the 
human mind, it is evident that civilization has been there to mark the outlines of its own foundation. 

When the Phoenicians and the Greeks had bowed their necks to the Roman yoke, it is natural 
to suppose that the conquerors would obtain a knowledge of the trading intercourse of the conquered. 
They would soon learn from the trembling captive that Britain abounded with well timbered 
forests, with rich pastures, with immense herds of cattle, and with ores ; which circumstances, so 
inviting to the sons of rapine, would operate more powerfully in the breasts of the lordly Romans, 
than a mere thirst for empty martial glory, to induce them to attempt the conquest of our island. 
They made the attempt, and succeeded in the undertaking; and they converted the British forests 
into ships, in which they exported the metal, the cattle, and the men, to other parts of their 
empire ; and in return they imported their vices, their crimes, and their arts. So much too did 
the Romans improve the culture of the land, that Britain soon became the imperial storehouse ; 
and her forests and harbours furnished them with the means of making her the depot of the imperial 
navy. This, in the end, proved the bane of the Roman authority here ; for, in the third century, 
one Carusius, a Fleming by birth, obtained the command of the fleet, with which he bade defiance 
to the threats and the power of Maximian, the Western Emperor — he was declared Emperor of 
Britain, and maintained her independence some years ; till he fell by the hand of an assassin, and 
Rome recovered the shadow of sovereignty in the land. This is the first time we find Britain 
protected by a British fleet.* 

Notwithstanding the dreadful contentions and massacres, which almost amounted to extermination, 
between the British, Picts, Saxons, Danes, and Anglo -Saxons, during several generations after the 
evacuation of the island by the Romans, yet trade always bore its head above the storm ; for a 
proof of which we have only to turn our attention a few moments to the accounts given by historians 
of the vast sums of money raised by the Anglo-Saxons, at sundry times, on the spur of the occasion, 
wherewithal to purchase the forbearance of the Danes. Nature having denied to this country the 
means of obtaining the precious metals, except through the medium of plunder, or that of trade ; 
and the inhabitants, at the periods alluded to, not being capacitated to practice the former to any 
considerable extent ; therefore the latter must have been carried on by them very largely, or they 
could not have complied with those numerous exactions; nor could the vacuums, occasioned in the 
circulating medium by such exactions, have otherwise been filled up. 

We have two circumstances on record, which prove what importance was attached, by two of 
our greatest Saxon monarchs, to trading pursuits. Alfred refused to taste any delicacy except it 
had been brought from the Mediterranean, or the Indies ; and Athelstan passed a law, which 
specified that a merchant who should make three long- sea voyages on his own account, should 
be admitted to the rank of Thane. But the Norman ruffian and his myrmidon followers, by 



* Lord Cork, speaking of this hero, says, " It is to him we owe the first dawnings of our naval power: a power which has since appeared 
" in all its meridian glory. From his conduct we were apprised of our natural strength as an island," 



TRADE. 199 



exterminating' the greater part of the people, but more particularly by riveting the chains of 
feudalism upon the miserable remnant, broke every social tie, and laid trade in a long and dreary 
sleep ; and with.it slept the embers of English liberty. A solemn silence, like the curtain of nighty 
expanded over the land; and was only interrupted by the groans and reproaches of the vanquished, 
the hoarse shouts and triumphant arrogance of the victors, the clarion's discordant sound, and the 
clang of martial arms. The country was now parcelled out among the conqueror's captains, and 
with it the wretched inhabitants as their vassals ; and whose chains were rendered still more galling 
by the struggles which afterwards ensued between chieftain, and chieftain, and between chieftains 
united and their superior lord. The successors of William found to their cost, though the barons 
delighted in seeing their own vassals wreath under the lash of slavery, that they spurned at the idea 
of being vassals themselves — their resistance to unbridled domination frequently overturning, or 
endangering a throne, which they were originally intended to protect. The necessity of an interest to 
counterpoise the power of the sturdy barons soon appeared manifest to the monarch, which sometimes 
induced him to cast himself into the arms of the clergy; but this was flying from Scylla to fall into 
Charybdis ; for the craft- of the one party was as dangerous to the independence of the crown, as 
the unruly disposition of the other. At length prudence directed the monarch to foster the trading 
interest, which was almost extinct, in order to counterbalance the power of the factious barons, 
and the dangerously growing ascendency of the clergy. Hence charters were granted to cities and 
boroughs, to secure to the inhabitants thereof certain privileges and immunities (dependent upon 
royal favor) as a sure mean of gaining partizans to the interest of the crown, by exciting a spirit 
of emulation among the vassals and retainers of the barons. The maxim was a good one ; and, 
from the moment of its adoption, trade again reared its fructuous head ; and with it its rose-cheeked 
handmaid — liberty. The king became the protector of trade, and trade the protector of the king.* 
The circle in which trade had to move, during a considerable length of time, was very 
circumscribed ; owing to various causes, such as a want of capital in those whose inclinations led 
them to its pursuits ; a want of confidence ; the dormant state of literature and of mechanical 
genius ; the discountenance it received from those who dreaded the effects its renovating influence 
could not fail to have upon the human mind ; and the murderous contentions, so long maintained 
between the houses of Lancaster and York. But, notwithstanding the feuds between the two royal 
houses, (independent of the other obstacles) for a time retarded the progress of trade, they finally- 
established its importance, and laid the barbarous system of feudalism prostrate at its feet. Henry 
the Seventh had seen one nobleman (the Earl of Warwick) make and unmake kings at his will ; 
he had seen first one house and then the other triumphant, always by means of caballing with 
the barons : he had seen himself raised to the throne by a faction that he knew, upon receiving the 
slightest disgust, would not scruple to pluck the gorgeous diadem from his brow. Two attempts 
of this sort being actually made, in one of which the very man joined,f to whom Henry principally 



* Though commerce may exist, in a small degree, without civil liberty, yet civil liberty was never known to exist without commerce ; 
except that sort of liberty which is enjoyed by the most uncultivated savages, 
f Sir William Stanley. 



200 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



owed the possession of the crown, and who was decapitated on the occasion. These things being- 
well known to Henry, he determined, if possible, to ward off any unfavorable result; which purpose 
be accomplished by giving to trade every encouragement in his power. He excited in the breasts 
of the barons a passion for foreign delicacies — for costly show, and entertainments. Many of them 
became embarrassed in their circumstances ; and consequently compelled to give up their numerous 
retainers and many of their vassals; or their new enjoyments — the former was the smaller sacrifice, 
because in making it at the shrine of their newly begotten vanity they could glitter in the 
gew-gaw fashions of the court, and thereby preserve a greater share of domestic concord. Their 
embarrassments, however, continued to grow upon them — they applied to the king- for leave to 
dispose of parts of their estates, free of the capite tenure, which would sell the better, in consequence 
of the crown sacrificing its feudal claim.* The requests were granted, because nothing could be 
more agreeable to the royal will. Numbers of tradesmen, who had acquired a money capital, now 
became possessed of freehold estates, which, along with the consideration they had already obtained, 
gave to the trading interest an imposing attitude in society, while the feudal system gradually sunk 
before it, as the snow-ball melts in the. face of the mid-day sun. 

Like cattle escaping from a pound, the poor vassals fled from their masters ; and took shelter in 
trading towns, or on board of merchant ships. They soon reaped the fruit of their own industry 
— they became better fed and better cloathed than what they had been accustomed to be ; while 
their bosoms glowed with the soul-cheering fire of independence, till then by them unknown. — 
Contentment, mirth, and glee sat perching upon their brows, instead of despondency and gloom. 
Heaven seemed to have given them new life; and the slave suddenly found himself exalted 
into man ! ! 

As to our religious liberty, it is a branch springing from the proud stock of our civil independence ; 
for had not trade previously diffused the enlightened rays of the latter among society, Henry the 
Eighth might have blustered against the pope; but he would have fallen a sacrifice in the tempest 
of his own raising ; and the people, in all probability, would have greaned at the present day 
beneath the papal yoke. 

As there are some men, that push their notions into society, who contend that trade has never 
added one sixpence to the wealth of England, we will conclude these observations with, a simple 
statement of facts, and a few deductions naturally arising therefrom, which will put the assertions 
of the self-wise economists to the blush. From the year 1700, to 1800, the value of our 
exports, over that of our imports, amounted to £348,000,000. But it is the practice of the enemies 
of our trade, while they examine the question itself, to overlook all its consequences and bearings ; 
else why do they tell us, because the duties upon exports and imports are paid by one Englishman 
into the hands of another, that those duties add nothing- to the wealth of the country, or to the taxes 
of the state ? They assert, that duties paid this way, is nothing but borrowing and lending-; or to 



* Though Kdward the First, according to the records of parliament, permitted the barons to sell their land, such land still remained 
subject to the feudal law, which was an almost insuperable bar to the transfer of domains in parcels, as the expense of a transfer was nearly 
equaltothe settler's share of their value. Therefore the light of sale was almost a nullity under such circumstances. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM, 201 



use a common adage, " it is robbing- Peter to pay Paul." If the inhabitants of the moon would 
have the condescension to pay us a few duties for our goodness in permitting them to enjoy the 
light of the sun, the economists, perhaps, might acknowledge the utility of such payments. Let 
us, however, state the case fairly ; and then try the argument by its own sterling merit. 

Suppose the government demands forty millions of taxes annually; and that nine millions of that 
sum be paid in duties upon exports and imports to and from our own colonies, independently of 
foreign trade, which was the case in 1808 ;* and suppose that these duties were entirely withdrawn; 
would not that sum be levied additionally upon the land ; or upon our traffic with foreign nations ? 
and, if levied upon the latter, it would amount to an annihilation of the whole. Land and trade 
being the only sources of taxation, though the products thereof are collected in many different 
ways. Then supposing the land proprietors were compelled to pay this additional sum, without 
being permitted to levy it upon their tenants, would they not have that sum less to expend in giving 
employment to industry in a thousand various ways? and would not this deduction from the 
employing fund cause additional misery, and a consequent increase of poor's rates? But supposing 
the land proprietors should not be compelled to pay this additional sum out of their rentals, would 
not the farmers be compelled to pay it ? certainly they would, or it would not be paid at all! in the 
latter of which cases a national decrepitude and a yielding to external enemies must ensue; and in 
the former, an advancement in the price of provisions, corresponding with the additional sum 
demanded, must ensue. Here, then, view the question which way we will, it brings with it its 
consequent calamities to the working class, and to the nation at large. V\ e might enlarge on this 
subject, by calculating on the trade with other nations ; but it is presumed to be unnecessary to 
conviction, on a subject so very clear. 

That Britain owes her civil and religious liberty, her independence as a nation, and a considerable 
share of her enjoyments to trade, is a position, I flatter myself, pretty clearly proved. And, as 
many persons, who are enemies to those liberties, have sought the accomplishment of their wicked 
object by an insidious attempt to shew the inutility of trade, I hope that will be an excuse with the 
liberal minded for this long digression in its support; conceiving as I do, that every patriot, who 
can convey his thoughts to the world through the medium of the press, ought to step forward in 
its defence, as a son would to preserve the life of his parent. 

TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 

MALT AND ALE. 

Fortune did much for Nottingham in placing it in a situation to command an extensive share of 
inland traffic ; and the ingenuity and industry of its inhabitants have finished what fortune left 
incomplete. Shortly after the conquest, many Normans settled in this town, probably at the 
instigation of Peverel, to re-people his newly acquired domains ; and finding it to possess a highly 
advantageous situation for trade, by means of the majestic Trent ; and finding too that the fertile 

* See Parliamentary Debates for that yew. 

3 E 



202 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



vale of Belvoir furnished plenty of grain,, they soon turned their attention to the making of malt, 
and the brewing- of ale. Probably these businesses had been followed here by the Saxons and other 
inhabitants of the place, long- before the arrival of the Normans, some of whom might communicate 
to the latter the utility of carrying them on, as well for exportation as home consumption.* — 
Various causes might operate to secure to this town a superiority in the malting business, which it 
enjoyed during many centuries, and which still exists in a partial degree ; among which we may 
reckon the excellency of the barley produced in its neighbourhood, and particularly the facility 
with which fuel could be obtained. Nor would the excellent character which its ale always 
possessed through the country fail to add to the anxiety for the obtainment of its malt. The 
malting business seems to have been at its height in the time of Cromwell and that of Charles the 
Second, as Dr. Thoroton gives it as his opinion, that the inhabitants were making more profit of 
that business, at the period alluded to, than they by the wool trade had previously done. 

Nottingham ale has been characterized by the following poetic effusion, which we will give for 
the amusement of those who still delight in making " the good creature" subservient to their 
gratification. The occasion of its being written was this : — A person of the name of Gunthorpe, 
who, within the memory of persons now living, kept the Punch Bowl public-house in Peck-lane, 
sent a barrel of ale of his own brewing as a present to his brother, an officer in the navy ; and 
who, in return, composed the poetic epistle, and sent it, under the title of, 

" NOTTINGHAM ALE." 

Fair Venus, the goddess of beauty and love, 

Arose from the froth which swam on the sea : 

Minerva leapt out of the cranum of Jove, 

A coy sullen slut, as most authors agree: 

Bold Bacchus, they tell us, the prince of good fellows. 

Was a natural son — pray attend to my tale ; 

But they that thus chatter, mistake quite the matter 

— He sprung from a barrel of Nottingham ale. 

Chorus — Nottingham ale, boys, Nottingham ale ; 
No liquor on earth like Nottingham ale! 

And having survey'd well the cask whence he sprung, 
For want of more liquor, low spirited grew ; 
He mounted astride, set his a — se on the bung, 
And away to the gods and the goddesses flew; 
But, when he look'd down, and saw the fair town, 
To pay it due honors, not likely to fail ; 
He swore that on earth, 'twas the place of his birth, 
And the best—and no liquor like Nottingham ale. 

Chorus— Nottingham ale, &c. 



* Deering states, that the Normans introduced malt liquor into England ; whereas the common Chronicle of the country states there to 
have been " ale-hewses" in it so early as the year 728. 



TKADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 203 



Ye bishops and deacons, priests, curates, and vicars, 
"When once you have tasted you'll own it is true, 
That Nottingham ale is the best of all liquors ; 
And who understands the good creature like you ? 
It expels every vapour-— saves pen, ink and paper ; 
And when you're disposed from the pulpit to rail, 
T'will open your throats— you may preach without notes, 
When inspired with a bumper of Nottingham ale. 
Chorus-- -Nottingham ale, &c. 

Ye doctors, who more execution have done. 
With powder and bolus, with potion and pill ; 
Than hangman with halter, or soldier with gun ; 
Than miser with famine, or lawyer with quill ; 
To dispatch us the quicker, you forbid us malt liquor, 
Till our bodies consume, and our faces grow pale ; 
But mind it, what pleases, and cures all diseases, 
Is a comforting dose of good Nottingham ale ! 
Chorus— -Nottingham ale, &c. 

Ye poets, who brag of the Helicon brook, 
The nectar of gods, and the juice of the vine ; 
You say none can write well, except they invoke 
The friendly assistance of one of the nine — 
Here's liquor surpasses the streams of Parnassus, 
The nectar ambrosia, on which gods regale ; 
Experience will show it, nought makes a good poet, 
Like quantum sufficit of Nottingham ale!* 
Chorus— Nottingham ale, &c. 

That there is ale in Nottingham which merits the praise here bestowed upon it, is beyond dispute; 
but the universality of its character is not so pure as formerly, owing to the heavy duty upon it, 
and the other imposts upon publicans, who are taxed more than proportionably, when compared 
with any other class of tradesmen ; and the frequent irksomeness of whose situation is ill 
compensated by the profits of their business. In London, Nottingham ale still retains its pristine 
character ; and were it not for the distance between the two places, and the almost unavoidable 
adulteration it receives on the road, much more of it would be sold in London than is at the present 
time. It is partly owing to the excellent quality of the coal in this neighbourhood, that Nottingham 
owes the superior flavor of its ale. 

Three wholesale brewhouses have been erected here within the last twenty-four years ; but the 
strong prepossession of the inhabitants against what is termed brewery ale has rendered the 
projects abortive, as far as respects local public-house consumption, in the article of ale ; but, in 
the article of porter the case has been very different ; for the porter brewed by Deverill and Co. 
is equal to what is generally met with in London ; and, indeed it is superior to much of the city 

* One rerse is purposely omitted, on account of its immodesty. 



204 HISTOKY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



beverage. From the year 1800, to 1S04, the Newark brewers made a bold attempt to force their 
interior liquor upon the inhabitants of this town, by means of purchasing 1 all the public-houses, or 
the leases thereof, which they possibly could — the complaint against this measure became general; 
and the magistrates at length came to a determination of stopping the licences to such houses ; 
and thus the monopolizing project ended in the discomfiture of the projectors. 

The first wholesale brewhouse was opened in Goose-gate, in 1792, by Mr. Thomas Simpson ; 
and, after about thirteen years pursuit in the concern he brought it to a close.* The next wholesale 
brewhouse was erected on a most extensive scale, where now stands Poplar-place, and was opened 
in 1794, under the firm of Henry Green and Co. but the concern by no means answered the 
expectations of the wealthy part of the firm ; and it was shortly given up. The third and last 
concern of this sort was opened in 1807, at the north end of the Leen-bridge, under the firm of 
Deverill and Co. and promises to be a lasting establishment ; for, independently of the porter 
brewing, they do much in the brewing of ale, with which they serve many private houses both in 
town and country, and also many public-houses in the villages, at a less or a greater distance from 
the town. 

WOOLLEN CLOTH TRADE. 

It is not a little singular that our best writers, on the subject of manufacturing of cloth, should 
insist that such and such countries are beholden to such and such other countries for the art thereof; 
and in particular that England is wholly indebted for it to our continental neighbours. This 
notion must have originated in inattention or ignorance, and have been followed merely from habit, 
or a fear of combating established prejudices ; for, though it is very true that one nation has been 
beholden to others for many of the improvements in this, as in most other arts, it is not the less 
certain that the manufacturing of cloth may have been an indigenous invention of every people, 
distinct and abstracted in the original formation of society. To prove this, we have only to consult 
the natural faculties of the human mind. 

When man, urged by the instinct of hunger, had killed an animal, whereon to satisfy his 
cravings, reason would instruct him that the skin would be a proper article to screen his body 
against the inclemency of the weather, as well from the resistance it would offer to his teeth, as 
from its pliability, and the facility with which he might separate it from the flesh— a stone ground 
against another stone till it had acquired an edge, would enable him to perform the latter operation, 
as well as that of shaping the skin into a garment. If it happened to be a sheep which he had 
slaughtered, the felting of the wool, by the heat and moisture exuding from his body, would display 
to him its superior utility, providing it could be converted into an extended substance, as the 
wearing the woolly side of the skin next his body would convince him of the nourishing- quality of 
the wool. And the most trifling circumstance would convey to his imagination the ease with which 

* About the year 1S05, an ingenious mechanic of this town, of the name of Bywater, invented a machine for cloathing of windmill sails 
while in mot'on, according to the power of the wind. For the furtherance of this invention Mr. Simpson found capital, as well as an 
addition of ingenuity; and the partners obtained his majesty's letters patent for the exclusive application of the discovery. They also 
obtnined a patent for the rigging and unrigging of vessels at sea by the same means ; and also one for giving additional facility in the 
veighing of ships' anchors; the whole of which produced more fame than profit to the patentees. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 205 



the harls or filaments, by giving them a twist, might be converted into yarn ; even an accidentally 
twisting of a few filaments together between his fingers and thumb would be sufficient; while the 
intertwining of the twigs or briars of a bush, or the art with which he would discover that the 
birds of the air made their nests, would unfold, to his naturally inquiring fancy, the means whereby 
he might form the threads into cloth. Circumstances, equally simple, would instruct men in the 
art of making cloth of the hair of other animals, and the filaments of bark. Thus we see, that 
nature, in her most rude and infant state, would instruct mankind in the art of the manufacturing 
cloth, without one nation being indebted to another for the original contrivance.* 

This simple and natural view of the question considerably lessens the importance which is 
usually attached to the two Brabant weavers who settled in Yorkshire in 1331, and those that 
settled at Canterbury, Norwich, Sandwich, Colchester, Maidstone, and Southampton in 1567. — 
That these foreigners introduced many most useful improvements in the art of manufacturing cloth, 
there can be no doubt ; but that cloth was wrought in this country long before their arrival, we 
have the clearest proof, independently of the foregoing observations. 

It is stated in the Notitia Imperii (as appears from the British Encyclopedia) that there was an 
imperial manufactory of woollen and linen cloth, for the use of the Roman army then in Britain, 
established at Venta Belgarum, now Winchester. And we have a very curious and substantial 
proof of the degree of perfection, which the art of weaving was at in this country during the 
seventh century. It is to be found in a book written by Aldhelm, bishop of Sherborne, on the 
subject of " virginity,'' about the year 680, and is contained in a simile illustrative of chastity.f 
The bishop says, " chastity alone forms not a perfect character ; but requires to be accompanied 
" and beautified by other virtues. It is not a web of one uniform colour and texture, without any 
" variety of figures, that pleaseth the eye, and appears beautiful ; but one that is woven by 
" shuttles, filled with threads of purple, and many other colours, flying from side to side, and 
"forming a variety of figures and images, in different compartments, with admirable art." 
Here is a proof, that figure-weaving, as well as the simple process of the art, was in use in England 
at that time ; or the bishop would not have so aptly applied it to the subject he was treating on. 

King John, among other immunities secured to the people of Nottingham by his charter, dated 
the 19th of March, 1199, granted to the town a merchant's guild, to whom he gave the exclusive 
privilege of manufacturing dyed cloth, or cloth which was designed to receive a dye, within ten 
miles round the town. This proves that the business of manufacturing cloth had been carried on 
here before that time ; for the inhabitants of a town would scarcely be so extravagant as to solicit, 
or the monarch to grant them a charter for the enjoyment of a certain business, to which, and to 



* Manv most useful discoveries have been made by persons merely observing the simple operations of nature — The use of a ship's 
rudder was discovered in consequence of a person's observing an eagle direct its course in the air by the motion of its tail. The first idea 
of a steam engine was conceived, from the steam in a kettle blowing off the lid. The discovery of electricity was occasioned by two globes 
of brimstone being accidentally brought into contact. To which we might add the invention of glass, gunpowder, and telescopes by 
accidental circumstance. 

f The bishop died in 709, and the See of Sherborne, with that of Wilton, was translated to Salisbury about the middle of the 
eleventh century. 

3 F 



206 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



its utility, they were strangers. From the year 1347, in which Edward the Third took Calais, to 
1558, in which, under Mary, it was wrested from the English, that city was the principal staple for 
the wool market; it being- the centre point of communication between the English and Flemish 
merchants. It was during this period that the woollen trade was at its highest glory in Nottingham, 
by the means of which, Deering states, the following families, among others, to have risen to opulence 
and fame; namely, the JBugges, the Binghams, the Willoughbies, the Tannesleys, the Mappurleys, 
the Thurlands, the Amyases, the Allesstrees, the Samons, the Plumptres, and the Hunts. But 
the surrender of Calais gave a stab to this trade, from the effects of which it never recovered.* 
This business soon after gave way to that of 

SMITHS, 

Such as blacksmith, whitesmiths, &c. which was partly owing to the plenty and excellency of the 
coal in this neighbourhood, partly to the unshackled encouragement given to the woollen trade in 
Yorkshire, and partly to a cause, which is interwoven with the independency of the human mind. 
The cloth trade being carried on by a company of merchants, that possessed exclusive privileges 
and the power of making bye-laws for the internal government of such trade, they would have the 
means of compelling the workmen to labour on principles alike inimical to their interest and 
independence, so long as no other employment offered itself to the notice of the latter ; thereby 
producing a system, which, in point of practice, would be little better than that hateful feudalism, 
from which the working class had so lately emerged ; while Vulcan, by introducing his anvil and 
hammer, the management of which would require but a comparatively small capital, would offer to 
the sons of industry a rivalship in execution and an independency of action, unknown to them 
before ; and which they would not fail to embrace. 

The anonymous author, so often quoted by Deering, resided here in the reigns of James the 
First and Charles the First, makes the following observations, when speaking of Bridlesmith-gate. 
" It was so called," says he, " by reason of the great number of smiths dwelling there, who made 
" bitts, snaffles, and other articles for bridles, of which trade there are some still inhabiting this 
" street, though the major part of them is now worn out by smiths of a rougher stamp, such as 
" make plough-irons, coulters, shares, stroake and nayles, harrow teeth and the like, of which trade 
" there are at this day such store in this street, and other parts of the town, as serve to furnish, not 
" only the county of Nottingham, but divers other bordering shires, as Leicester, Rutland, and 
" Lincoln.' 5 Smithy-row is, no doubt, one of the other places here alluded, as may be gathered 
from the name, as well as from the thick concretions of smithy-slack having been found of late, 
considerably below the present surface of the Market-place, when the earth has been removed for 
the purpose of buildings being erected, which the author hereof has seen and examined. The 
same author concludes, and in my opinion very justly, that Gridlesmith-gate (now Pelham-street,) 

* Vout-hall, or Vault-hall, at the north-west corner of Drury-hill, where now stands the house of Mrs. Gawthorn, took its name from 
the vaults under it, in which the wool used to be stored, when the cloth manufacture was earned on in this town. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 207 



took its name from a provincial corruption of girdle into gridle ; and therefore gave as his opinion, 
that this street had been inhabited by smiths who made girdles and their appendages. 

Considering the period at which our anonymous author wrote his narrative, which, Deering 
states to be in 1641 ; and considering that the makers of light articles had nearly left the town, we 
may conclude that these businesses gradually retired, in the latter end of the sixteenth century, 
when Birmingham and Sheffield were taking the lead in the Vulcanic arts. Notwithstanding this, 
Nottingham continued to supply the neighbouring towns and counties with the rougher kind of 
materials, till almost every village could boast a smith of its own.* 

FOUNDERIES. 

In the casting businesses Nottingham has long held an eminent station, though they have never 
been carried on to an extent equal with what has been done at Birmingham, Rotherham, 
Chesterfield, &c. As may be seen by referring to the account of the benefactors to the Free-school, 
bell-casting was followed here at an early date ; and the bell at St. James's church was cast by 
Hedderly as late as the year 1791, soon after which that person went to America, and the business 
has not been followed here since ; except as small bells are cast by Mr. Tatham, at his brass and 
cock foundery at the corner house in Bridlesmith-gate, leading into Peter-gate : this business has 
been carried on in the town at least a century ; and in the present premises about sixty years, f — 
This concern was previousiy settled in Castle-gate, a few yards above the meeting-house ; at 
which time there was also another brass foundery in the same street, a little way above Jew-lane; 
but it was given up. 

A small iron-foundery was erected in 1773, by Mr. Foljamb, in Narrow-marsh, which has given 
the name of Iron-yard to the spot. It has ceased to be worked several times, and has several times 
changed its masters ; and is now in full use again. The iron-foundery erected in Granby-street, 
by Mr. Alderman Ashwell, in 1803, is a concern of considerable magnitude, which is worked by 
one of the most complete steam engines in the kingdom, of five-horse power. J Dispatch and 
execution of workmanship are found here, in an equal degree, to what are produced at any other 
foundery in the country. A few years after the commencement of this concern, Mr. Ashwell 
introduced brass-casting also, which is pursued with flattering success. 

TANNERS. 

At what time the tanning business, which was founded on one of the earliest wants in society, 
was introduced into this town, is unknown, though, very probably, it was at an early stage of our 
history, from the great quantity of oak in the immediate vicinity of the town, the bark of which is 
still so essential to the production of the tan, notwithstanding the chymical improvements of M. 



* Framesmitbs will be spoken of in another place. 

f Mr. Tatham was the first to introduce gas-tfyht into the town, which he did io the winter of 1814. 

J In March, 1815, a person of the name of George Harrison was killed by tlie engine, at the moment he had clandestinely introduced 
himself, for the purpose of carrying to another foundery the improved application of its powers. 



208 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Seguin and others. And, there is little doubt but this business had its share in driving the cloth 
trade away, for the reason stated under the head " smiths." Deering has preserved the date of a 
transaction, which proves that the tanners possessed considerable influence, soon after the close of 
the fifteenth century. Our author says, (and of the truth of which there is no doubt) that, on the 
18th of February, 1546, a deed was executed by the Corporation, on the one part, and the tanners 
on the other, whereby "the mayor and burgesses oblige themselves to William Sharpington, James 
f - Mason, John Renell, John Gregorie, and Thomas Sibthorpe, tanners, to pay to them and their 
" successors, tanners of Nottingham, for ever, an annuity of forty shillings." 

An opinion was very prevalent some years ago, and is not now wholly eradicated, that this money is 
paid as an acknowledgment by the Corporation to the tanners for an old building, on the south side 
of Narrow-marsh, called Tanners' -hall, as they had no occasion for it after their business fell to 
decay. The truth seems to be, that the Corporation originally made a grant of this stipend to 
provide an annual dinner for the tanners, as an inducement to them to form themselves into a 
company, that their business might thereby be kept in the town ; and, as a further encouragement, 
the Corporation gave the company the use of the building in question, as a general storehouse for 
their goods, and as a place of general sale — hence its present name.* 

From an old manuscript book, lent me by the late Mr. John Henshaw, formerly a master tanner 
here, which contains the bye-laws of the trade, I will give the following extracts : — Extract the 
first : — " Anno Dom. 1646. Mr. John James, alderman, chosen masters of the tanners' trade ; 
" John Townrow and Thomas Truman, wardens for the year. Monday after St. Andrew's-day, 
" we the company of tanners, being met according to custom, do order, that all apprentices that 
ic are not free-born shall pay to the wardens of the trade, for their recording, five shillings ; and 
" for their upsets ten shillings and sixpence. And we do also order, that such as are free-born of 
" the trade shall pay for their recording two shillings ; and for their upsets six shillings and 
"■ eightpence." 

Alderman James served the office of mayor this year, which shews that the tanners were then in 
high repute, or the chief magistrate would not have condescended to become their master in an 
association. At this time Alderman James was performing a still more conspicuous part — he was 
the principal enemy among the magistrates to the tyrant Charles the First, whose power was now 
nearly at an end. 

Extract the second — " December 5, Anno Dom. 1664. It is this day ordered by the master and 
" wardens and company of tanners, that if any person of the said company, duly elected by the said 
" company, and chosen master for one year according to the annual custom, shall at any time 
' ; hereafter refuse to accept and execute the said master's office as usual, then every such person 
" or persons shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings, to be disposed of at the discretion of 
" the said company for their use" — subscribed by forty-seven master tanners. 

In pursuance of the above order, William Fillingham paid the stipulated fine in 1716. 



* This old buildiasr has been supposed to have been a court of justice: this opinion is erroneous, except as tke assizes might be 
held in it when the plague raged in the town; and from which Narrow-marsh was free. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM, 209 



Extract the third — " September 8, Anno Dom. 1668. Upon a meeting of the company of 
?f tanners, at the master's house of the trade, Thomas Hardmeat, it was agreed and concluded upon 
" that the particular persons, tanners, whose names are under-written, shall buy such proportion 
" of hides affixed to their names under- written for a month next ensuing, under the penalty of 
" forfeiting sixpence for every hide neglected to be bought, to be paid to the wardens of the trade 
ff for the present year ; and it is intended that these hides shall be bought of the butchers of 
" Nottingham. And it is ordered by the company under- written, that no tanner, nor journeyman, 
tc nor apprentice shall buy any hide, kep,* or calf-skin, above the price of ninepence, nor tan them 
" at any rate for them nor the fellmongers, under the penalty of such hide or skin so bought or 
" tanned to be paid to the wardens for the promoting of the feast. It is further agreed, that he 
" that brings in a hide to the hill,f shall have the privilege of buying it ; or, if any other buy it 
*5 he shall pay the first chapman one shilling." 

[These resolutions were signed by twenty-five masters, and the number of hides to be bought 
was affixed to each name. Indeed it appears, that none but masters were considered as belonging 
to the company.] 

" It is agreed and concluded upon by the tanners above-said, that he that buys any hide or hides 
* of the butchers at their houses or slaughter-houses in the week-day (if it can be proved by any 
:i two persons of the same trade,) shall forfeit two shillings and sixpence for every hide so bought 
4: to the wardens of the trade for the year." 

It appears pretty evident that some difference had existed between the tanners and butchers 
respecting the mode of conducting the sale of hides, &c. and that the above resolutions among the 
former were the consequence or the cause of a reconciliation. But it is not so easy to conceive 
why the tanners enjoined, that they should give only ninepence for a hide, &c. while with the same 
breath they awarded a shilling to a person who might have a hide or skin bought out of his hands. 

In 1672, it was agreed by the company, that any person who bought a hide within six miles of 
Nottingham, except in the open market, should forfeit five shillings for every hide so bought. 

Extract the fourth — " Anno Dom. 1744. Memorandum. The mayor and burgesses this year 
f first refused to make good their ancient payment to the company of tanners." 

From this time the company received only twenty shillings a year from the Corporation, nor is 
the circumstance afterwards noticed in their book. Indeed their number appears to have been 
rapidly on the decline, which naturally lessened their consequence ; for, their number had risen 
from 36 to 47 between the years 1641 and 1664; yet at the end of the four succeeding years it was 
reduced to 25. From this.time to 1701, the declension had been but small, as in that year there 
were 21 masters; while in 1750, only three remained; and during the last ten years, or 
thereabouts, there has been but one. Therefore this company must now be considered as 
at an end, since it is impossible for one master to form a company ; yet, the three or four 
journeymen, along with a few fellmongers of the same class, continued till very lately to keep up 



* Kep, means the skin of a calf tbat dies in its second year. 

f It appeals to have been Beastmarket-hi!l where the hides, &e. were exhibited for sale; as I fmd in another place in this o'd 
manuscript, an account of business being done near toe top of the Cora-maiket. 

S G 



210 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



the annual feast with the money paid by the Corporation. And, it is not a little singular that, in 
1812, when Mr. Thomas Roberts, the present and only master tanner in the town, applied for the 
annual stipend, the Corporation, unsolicited, gave him the old allowance of forty shillings, and 
continue to pay that sum, notwithstanding only twenty shillings had been paid during so many 
years ; and it is now divided by Mr. Roberts among his journeymen, without attending to the old 
custom of holding a feast. The tanners kept up the old farce of electing a master till the year 
1808, when the late Mr. Henshaw, then out of the business, thinking himself the only legititnate 
offspring of the trade, and considering it a degradation to be elected to the office by fellmongers, 
not only refused to attend the annual feast, at which time the officers used to be chosen, but 
withheld the book, that no sham master might be recorded. Thus the very shadow, as well as the 
substance of the company vanished. 

The tanners, like many more of Adam's sons, on whom fortune has sometimes lavished her 
favors, were made giddy and overbearing by prosperity. In 1661, they began to shackle the trade 
by combining to prevent each other from taking apprentices, except on extravagant conditions ; a 
system which is sure in the end to injure the business it is erroneously intended to protect; because 
nature is regular in her proceedings, and therefore requires a succession of youth to fill up the 
chasms occasioned by incidents, old age, and death.* The tanners likewise by combining to keep 
down the price of hides, skins, and bark, drove the owners thereof to seek other markets ; and thus 
completed the ruin of their trade in this town, while they vainly fancied they were securing the 
golden fleece of Colchis. 

From the great number of horn snuffs and old vats which have been frequently found, it is 
pretty evident, that near the whole of the ground between Turncalf-alley and Bridge-street, has 
been occupied by tanners and fellmongers, the vats appertaining to both. Deering conjectured, 
and no doubt rightly, that the tanning business had been carried on, on the east side of St. Peter's- 
churchyard, there being visible marks of the fact in his time, in a house then occupied by a Mr. 
Coates, attorney-at-Iaw, at the lower end of Pepper-street, and now the property of the Rev. Dr. 
Staunton. And, in lately examining the premises of Mr. Tatham, brass-founder, which lead 
down Peter-gate, I found tan vats and other necessary appendages for carrying on the tanning 
business. 

In 1769, William Henshaw and William Haigh were chosen wardens ; since which time none 
have been elected to that office ; the latter of whom was the last that paid a fee as an upset, which 
was in 1766. And in 1739, Ralph Peet paid the last fee which was ever paid for recording an 
apprentice. It was customary likewise, till 1769, for the company to have a sealer, whose duty it 
was to examine all tanned goods, and declare them fit, or unfit for the market. And, as he was 
likely rather to be a bar to their rapacity than a guarantee to their imaginary benefit, which 
seems to have centered in a short-sighted policy, it is a wonder that they employed one so long. — 
Thomas Radforth was the last person who held this office. This subject naturally leads to an 



* The plan of apprenticing in Lancashire, which has been so injurious to the calico printers, is excepted against in the above allusion; 
because it is alike at variance with nature's laws and with uprightness in human policy. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 211 



inquiry into the practice now in use of examining and marking every hide, skin, or pelt by public 
sealei^s, or inspecto?*s, before they are sold to the tanners and fellmongers. 

In 1604, the second of James the First, an act was passed to regulate the conduct of butchers, 
tanners, curriers, fellmongers, and shoemakers, as far as the public interest was concerned in the 
use of hides, skins, and pelts ; and to prevent horse-leather from being used by shoemakers. 
But, by the granting of a patent for converting horse-leather into boot legs (known by the name 
of cordovan,) one essential part of the act became perverted ; and the remainder was suffered, by 
common consent, to lie at rest. In process of time, however, an evil sprung up which called aloud 
for public interference. The butchers, by their careless and avaricious conduct, rendered the 
hides, &c. of far less value than they ought to be : they not only flayed the carcases down to the 
hoof, and thereby added too much of the shank to the hide, but they frequently gashed the hides, 
&c. so much in the act of flaying, as to render them of comparatively little value ; which, besides 
casting a dead loss upon the shoemakers (they buying their ware by weight,) was a serious loss to 
society at large. In consequence of which the shoemakers, aided, I believe, by the curriers and 
saddlers, petitioned parliament, in 1800, for a redress of grievances, and obtained an act to that 
effect. But that being found deficient, they again petitioned in 1801, when another act was 
obtained, which answered their expectations, 

This act enjoins the chief magistrate, or head officer of any city, town corporate, borough, &c. 
to point out a proper place or places, wherein shall be examined and inspected, on proper days, 
all the raw hicks or skins of oxen, bulls, cows, heifers, steers or stirks, calves, hogs or pigs, sheep, 
lambs, horses, mares, and geldings, killed, slaughtered, or flayed within such city, &c. and all 
such hides, &c. which are brought to be disposed of at such place or places. The act also 
provides that the shoemakers and others engaged in leather businesses shall send a list of the names 
of persons, from among whom they wish the public inspectors to be chosen, to the chief magistrate; 
and the latter is enjoined to select such inspector or inspectors from such list ; to whom he 
afterwards administers the following oath — " I, A. B. do swear, that I will faithfully and diligently 
" execute the office of inspector of hides and skins, according to the true intent and meaning of an 
" act passed in the fortieth year, &c. intitled, &c. without fear or affection, prejudice, or malice, to 
" any person whomsoever ; so help me God." 

The inspectors here are Robert Lineker, a shoemaker, and John Bailey, a fell monger ; and the 
place directed by the magistrates for the examination of hides, &c. is a small distance above the 
fish-stalls on the north side of the Market-place. They are compelled to have two stamps each ; 
viz. one with the letter S. denoting sound, and the other with the letter D. denoting damaged. 
When they have examined the hides, &c. they stamp them near the tail with that stamp, which, in 
their opinion, the quality of the articles requires; and if the articles be damaged the law authorizes 
them to levy the following penalties upon the owners :— For gashing or otherwise injuring, in the 
act of flaying the hide of an ox, bull, cow, heifer, or stirk, or for flaying the carcase of such 
animals more than two inches below the knee, five shillings — for the skin of a calf, and the hide of 
a horse, two shillings and sixpence ; and for the skin of a sheep, lamb, or hog, sixpence. The 
magistrates and inspectors have the power of mitigating these penalties as they may consider 



212 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



circumstances to require. — For their trouble the inspectors are entitled to one penny for the hide 
of an ox, bull, cow, heifer, stirk, horse, mare, and gelding; for every calf, and hog skin a 
halfpenny ; and for every sheep and lamb skin a farthing 1 . 

THE CURRIERS AND FELLMONGERS, 

There is little doubt, may boast an antiquity in this town equal to that of the tanners ; but their 
numbers do not appear ever to have been great. In 1641, there were nine master fellmongers, 
and six master curriers — in 1739, there were only two of the former, and four of the latter. And, 
at the present time, there are six curriers and four fellmongers, with one of the latter at Lenton, 
who may be classed with his fellows in this town. 

SHOEMAKERS. 

11 The Tablet of Memory" gives the incorporation of the cordwainers' company in the year 
1410, while the tf Picture of London" for 1803, gives the date a century later — an error in the 
press has probably occassioned the difference. As the influence attached to incorporated companies 
was very considerable, and continued so till within the last century ; and as we know the 
Nottingham company of cordwainers is of long standing, we may therefore infer that the master 
shoemakers here were not long ere they followed the example of their metropolitan brethren, 
particularly as the Corporation of Nottingham, for a small annual stipend, were ready to second 
their views. Accordingly a company was formed here, the principal conditions in whose union 
were, to prohibit any journeyman from being employed that had not served an apprenticeship to a 
master belonging to some company ; and to prevent any master from setting up in the town, or 
keeping a stall in the market that did not belong to the Nottingham company. To give to this 
combination the appearance of legal authority, the company paid the Corporation twenty shillings 
a year, in consideration of which that body sanctioned them in the maintenance of their exclusive 
privileges. And thus things continued till about the year 1747, when a master shoemaker of the 
name of Hancock refused to enter the company— a trial at law was the consequence, and the 
company was cast, and consequently lost all authority. Another conflict between clashing interest* 
now ensued : the Corporation still demanded their annual tribute, which the shoemakers refused to 
pay, because the former had lost the power of protecting them. The officers of the company used 
to consist of four masters, two stewards, and two wardens, the latter always paying the Corporation 
their fee ; but, after Hancock had cast the company, no more wardens were elected, that the 
Corporation might not have any one to fix their claim upon. A member of the company, of the 
name of Hart, had some property seized upon for the tribute ; but, as I am informed, the Corporation 
yielded without the question being brought into court ; and thus this paltry dispute had an end. 

The company is still in existence, though it consists of only five members, four of whom are 
elected masters, and the other a steward ; and they hold their annual feast on the 5th of November, 
or old St. Crispin's-day. When in their time of prosperity, they bought a plot of ground, containing 
about an acre, near Kennel-hill, which the members of the company still possess, and which is 
called Shoemakers' -close. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 213 



BONE-LACE* 

This article, which is likewise called bobbin-lace, had long been manufactured in this town to a 
considerable amount till it was superseded by the different branches of business attending- the 
framework-knitting trade, such as winding, seaming, sizing, and chevining, which drove the 
bone-lace manufacture away. Buckingham and Northampton, with their connective counties, are 
the principal seats of this business in England; though the wives of militia-men belonging to those 
counties have a good deal scattered the art about the country by following the fortunes of their 
husbands within the last twenty years ,* and even in this town we find a few cushions again in use. 
It is worthy of remark, that an ounce of Flanders thread, when manufactured into lace, has been 
sold in London for £40. Here the folly and ingratitude &f the British ladies are conspicuous — 
they encourage foreign artizans, while those of our own country can produce articles of a similar 
quality and possessing superior beauty to those imported of a corresponding description, and which 
can be sold for less than a tenth of their cost, while our own artizans and their families are often 
starving for want of employment. 

We are now about entering upon the description of a branch of business the most important to 
Nottingham of any which was ever carried on within it confines; and, to a Nottingham man, it is 
unnecessary to say we mean the 

FRAMEWORK-KNITTING BRANCH. 

Indeed, so much is this town dependent upon the engine, known by the name of the stocking 
frame, and its appendant machines, that, if it stood still, al! other businesses must stand still also. 
The town may in fact be compared to one vast engine, whose every part is kept in motion by this 
masterpiece in the mechanic art.?. 

The inventor of this curious and complicated piece of machinery, which, , in many instances, 
consists of more than six thousand parts, was one William Lee, M. A. of St. John's college,, 
Cambridge, and was heir to a small freehold estate in Woodborough, the place of his nativity, 
which lies about seven miles from Nottingham. Mr. Lee being deeply smitten with the charms 
of a captivating young woman of this village, he paid his addresses to her in an honorable way ; 
but, whenever he waited upon her she seemed much more intent upon knitting stockings and 
instructing pupils in the art thereof, than upon the caresses and assiduities of her suiter ; he therefore 
determined, if possible, to mar the prospect of her knitting, under an idea, no doubt, of thereby 
inducing her to change that for one more congenial with his views. The former part of his project 
Mr. Lee accomplished in the year 1589, by the invention of an engine or frame for the knitting 
of stockings, which possesses six times the speed of the original mode, and which has admitted of 
an almost endless variety of substantial and fancy articles being wrought upon it. After the 
accomplishment of so great an undertaking, it seems other notions than those of gaining the fair 



* Bonp-lace is so called either from the bobbins which are used in ; ts formation being generally made of bone, or from the French word 
bom, which signifies good, excellent, &c. the article being orisinal'y made in France. 

3 H 



214 IIISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

and fickle object of his former pursuit attached themselves to the mind of Mr. Lee — ambitious of 
being the inventor of so useful a machine, he immediately adopted measures which appeared to 
him the most likely to secure wealth and future fame.* 

The known partiality of Queen Elizabeth for knitted silk stockings, which she had worn since 
the year 1560, would naturally induce Mr. Lee to think that the production of an article so superior 
in quality, and wrought with such superior facility, could not fail to procure the royal patronage as , 
a reward for his invention : an idea which every speculative genius is justified in fostering; but 
which many have fostered in vain. Flushed with this honorable expectation, Mr. Lee hastened to 
London, presented his frame to the Queen, and worked in it in her presence. But, whether she 
was too much engaged in enjoying her triumph over the Spanish Armada, or in dalliance with, and 
in cajoling her different admirers, cannot now be determined; this, however is certain — she treated 
Mr. Lee and his invention with neglect, if not with contempt. Stung with the ingratitude of his 
sovereign, and meeting with no better treatment from his countrymen in general, he therefore 
sought encouragement at Roan in Normandy, under the protection of the celebrated Henry the 
Fourth of France. Here, with nine frames and so many workmen that accompanied his fortunes, 
he met with the encouragement of an enlightened monarch and an applauding nation ; but 
misfortune, the usual attendant on merit, was determined to haunt him through all his earthly 
pursuits. The stroke of an assassin, which brought the good King Kenry to the grave, made way 
for the misrule of Louis the Thirteenth, whose bigotry and persecution swallowed up every virtue, 
which beamed in the court of Henry, and, consequently, every encouragement which the latter had 
given to the mechanic arts. Mr. Lee, finding himself neglected at Roan, applied at the foot of the 
royal fountain in Paris ; but the streams of that fountain were stopped when merit applied for aid; 
therefore he meet nothing in his application but disappointment and chagrine. Finding his merits 
thus neglected both at home and abroad, he gave up his mind to the empire of grief, which soon 
gave him rest from his sufferings in the grave. Seven of his workmen, with their frames, returned 
to England, leaving two behind at Roan with theirs. Thus England owes the return of this useful 
art, to the hand of an assassin and the ignorance of the French king, after her ingratitude had 
driven it away. 

One Aston, of Thoroton in this county, having been taught the art of framework-knitting by 
Mr. Lee, before the latter left this country, and, being a person of considerable genius, had 
retained a tolerably correct knowledge of the frame, notwithstanding he had followed the business 
of a miller during the time his fellow workmen had been in France ; and, still having a desire to 
further the invention, he joined the workmen on their return ; and they, in conjunction, soon 



* Tradition informs us, that the first frame was almost wholly made of wood — that it was a twelv« gauge — thai there were no leail 
•inkers : and that the needles were stuck in bits of wood. We are likewise told, that the difficulty Le" met with in the formation of the 
stitch for want of needle-eyes/ had nearly prevented the accomplishment of his object, which difficulty was at length removed by his 
forming eyes to his needles with a three-square file. We have information too, handed in direct succession from father to son, that it wai 
not till late in the seventt-enth century that one man could manage the working of a frame: the man who was considered the workman, 
employed a labourer, who stood behind ihe frame to work the slur and pressing motions ; but the application of traddles and of the feet, 
rendered tbe labourer unnecessary. 






»•— rl'i. 



TKADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 215 



restored the disorganized frames to a working state. But whether they carried on the business in 
Nottingham, or in what other part of the county thereof, is uncertain : probably, after they had 
brought the frames to a tolerable state of perfection, they sought different directions, according to 
their several inclinations and views. It appears certain, however from the information handed to 
us by Deering, that there were but two stocking frames in Nottingham in 1641 ; nor was the 
increase very great during the next hundred years, as appears from the following state of the trade 
in 1739 :— 

Framework-knitters .------50 

Framesmiths - - - - - - - -14 

Needlcmakers - - - - - - . -12 

Setters. up ...--...-8 
Sinkermakers --...-.-5 

At this period we find none ranked in the profession of a hosier ; consequently we have a right 
to conclude that the business of a hosier had not then assumed a distinct shape; and also that every 
framework-knitter disposed of his own goods in the best manner he could. This will account for 
the slowness of the progress made by the trade during the period alluded to ; for it is very unlikely 
that any serious number of workmen would be able to furnish themselves with frames to work in, 
and then have to depend upon the precariousness of a sale for subsistence for their families. 

For a considerable time after the revival of this important art in England, its principal nursery 
was London, which was partly occasioned by a want of country hosiers, and partly by the rage in 
those da_ys for what was called fashion work: the custom then being to wear stockings of the same 
colour as the other outward garments, which caused a continual demand for small and immediate 
orders. But when this custom declined, and country hosiers began to exert themselves, the London 
dealers found their account in depending upon the country manufacturers for supplies. Hence it 
is that, within the last sixty years, the manufacturing of stockings in London has been on the 
decline, while in those places more congenial to the interest of the trade, it has been more rapidly 
on the increase. So that, at the present time, a few fancy frames and those used as decoy ducks 
, in retail shops, are nearly all which the metropolis can boast of. 

Shortly /after the return of Mr. Lee's workmen from France, the Venetian ambassador in London 
engaged one Henry Mead, for £500 to go to Venice and take a frame with him, for the purpose 
of establishing the framework-knitting art in that country ; but it appears that Mead had not merit 
equal to the expectations of his employer, for the project failed for want of mechanics to keep the 
frame in a working state ; in consequence of which it was sent back to England for sale, along 
with some wretched Venetian imitations. An attempt was also made by one- Abraham Jones to 
carry the invention to Holland; and, the ingenuity of the adventurer, in all probability, would have 
enabled him to carry his seheme into execution, had not the plague, which then raged with violence 
in the low countries, hurried him and his connections to the grave. His frame was afterwards 
«ent to London for sale. 

In the hope of preventing a recurrence of these dangers to the country's interest, in this now 
much-sought-after business, and likewise to guarantee it against the mischiefs arising from persons 
being engaged in it that had not served an apprenticeship to the trade, and thereby, for want of 



216 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



experience, introducing badly wrought articles into the market, to the manifest discredit of the 
rest, the framework-knitters in London petitioned Oliver Cromwell, as protector of the common- 
wealth of England, to grant them a charter, and to constitute them a legal company. This 
petition was complied with ; but, whether the granted instrument was thought insufficient, in its 
regulating and guaranteeing powers, or whether the company thus constituted, thought a charter 
from Cromwell improper to be acted upon after the restoration, we are not informed; be this 
however as it may, the company petitioned Charles the Second, soon after he obtained the diadem, 
for a constituting charier, which was granted ihem in 1664, and which incorporated them under 
the name of " The Worshipful Company of Framework-knitters ;" to be governed by a master, 
wardens, and assistants, who are directed to be chosen annually on the 24th of June. These 
officers had power vested in them by virtue of the charter, to make bye-laws from time to time for 
the government of the trade, as, in their estimation, its interests might require; which bye-iaws, 
if signed by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice of the court of King's Bench, and the 
Chief Justice of the court of Common Pleas, are valid in point of law, if not in direct opposition to 
the statute law of the land, or when they run counter to the interest of the country ; the latter 
question being left to the decision of a jury.* The body of bye-laws now in existence was framed 
in 1745, and was signed by Philip, Lord Hardwick, Lord Chancellor, by Sir William Lee, Knt. 
Lord Chief Justice, and Sir John Willes, Knt. Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. 

Deering, when speaking of the framework -knitters' company, has the following remarks : — "In 
" process of time, when the trade spread further into the country, they also in proportion stretched 
" their authority, and established commissioners in the several principal towns in the country where 
" this trade was exercised ; there th^y held courts at which they obliged the country framework- 
" knitters to bind and make free, &c. whereby they for many years drew great sums of money, till 
" some person of more spirit than others in Nottingham brought their authority in question, and 
" a trial ensuing, the company was cast, since which time the stocking manufacture has continued 
" entirely open in this country " 

The want of date, and the disingenuous manner in which the above paragraph is written, have 
left the reader's mind in doubt, as to the nature and consequences of that trial, particularly when 
he considers the subsequent conduct of the company. It would be fair however to conclude, from 
our author's statement, that no circumstance had taken place from the time of the trial to that in 
which he wrote, by which the validity of the charter had been ascertained. But, by recurring to 
recorded facts the truth will best appear. In an old printed document, refered to in the last note, 
entitled, " Case of the Framework- knitters," we find the following :— " Some short time before 
'■ the year 1734, a dispute arose between the members of the company in London and some 
" manufacturers in Nottingham, which occasioned a law suit ; but the merits of the question in 
" that suit were not fully tried ; the company being nonsuited for want of legal form in the 



* It is the duty of these great law officers to give notice to chartered companies, if an act of parliament be in agifation inimical to their 
interests. 

Deerine says that Cromwell refused to grant a charter to the framework-knitters ; but here our antiquary is mistaken, for I have a. 
printed document by me which proves to the contrary. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 217 



" bye-laws produced at the trial, which appeared to be confirmed by the Chancellor and Judges, 
" but could not be proved to be the act of the company, which was the reason the court did not 
" try the merits. The result of this dispute was, that the artists in the country were for having the 
" bye-laws amended, and till that was done, would not comply therewith ; nor could the company 
ie get any deputies to act for them in the country.'' 

Here then we see that the merits of the charter were not tried ; and that it was the incongruity 
of the bye-laws, which brought on the dispute. Notwithstanding this however, as a new code of 
bye-laws was not formed till 1745, it is no wonder if so long a lapse of time brought the charter 
into disuse in the country ; though the sanction of those bye-laws by the three greatest law 
authorities in the nation, about twelve years after the trial, proves that the validity of the charter 
was then considered as unshaken. 

We are now arrived at a period in the history of these affairs in which the company and the 
trade at large may be considered in different points of view — the company may be compared to a 
man in the decline of life that principally depends upon the toil of others for support, and whose 
every effort serves to betray his own weakness ; while the trade may be likened to a bloorriing 
youth that has just learnt the value of his own strength, and who considers every farthing drawn 
from his toil, under pretence of supporting him, as an unjust tax upon his industry. The company 
now endeavoured to enforce payment from the country workmen, finding that persuasion and low 
cunning had lost their effect; and the trade threatened them with annihilation if they persevered. In 
1751, the company commenced actions against two workmen at Godalmin for not paying their 
quarterage ; and the trade threatened, if they proceeded in the actions, to apply to parliament for 
an act to unshackle it from the company's trammels and break up their body— the company took the 
hint, and let the matter drop ; and the trade found its advantage in their imbecility. 

Various attempts have been made since that time to restore to the charter its pristine authority, 
under the idea of stopping colts* from working at the business, who, it is contended, have been 
the cause of many goods being introduced into the market of an inferior quality, from their not 
possessing a competent knowledge of the art. Without entering into the merits of this question,, 
which in truth do not belong to history, the reader may rest assured that the charter, as far as 
respects the prosperity of the trade, is for ever laid at rest. 

In 1805, a most extensive association was formed among the framework -knitters of Nottingham, 
Derby, and Leicester, and their respective counties, where the business is principally carried on, 
for the purpose of raising money to enable the company to prosecute a man of the name of Payne, 
of Burbage, in Leicestershire, for following the business and learning others without his having 
served an apprenticeship, on the issue of which prosecution the future prospects of thousands, 
similarly circumstanced, depended. Payne was supported by the Leicester and Leicestershire 
hosiers, who, being the principal manufacturers of coarse and inferior goods, felt themselves 
peculiarly interested in pushing the trade among those workmen that, from their little knowledge 
of the art, were the least likely to contend for regulated prices, and for properly fashioning the 



* A name given to persons that work at the business who have not served a regular apprenticeship to it, 

3 I 



218 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



goods. After a world of li ligation and expense on both sides, the matter was brought to a final 
hearing in Westiniuster-hall, in February, 1809, when, though the charter was admitted to be as 
good in laic as other charters of a like description, it was forbidden to be put in force, any 
further than as relates to the internal government of the company, such as chusing masters, 
wardens, 5fc. ; and for the purpose of spending the money which the members of the company 
may think well to contribute ; providing such money is not applied to purposes contrary to the 
statute law of the land.* 

As a proof that the legislature has thought the framework-knitting business of some importance 
in its own abstracted merits, we have only to mention the act passed in the 7th and 8th of William 
and Mary, which inflicts a penalty of forty pounds, with the loss of the frame, upon any person 
caught in the act of sending one to a foreign country. In 1766, an act, commonly called the 
Teioksbury act, was passed, the object of which was to prevent the fraudulent marking of 
framework-knitted goods; a practice having been long pursued by some hosiers of ordering their 
workmen to mark the goods with more oilet-holes than corresponded with the number of threads in 
the material of which such goods were made, except those wrought of silk ; and except such goods 
were wrought of a material of less than three threads. But the salutary provisions of this act are 
now rendered nugatory by flaxen stockings being nearly disused, and by the invention of machinery 
to spin cotton and worsted yarn, which, generally speaking, renders more than two threads 
unnecessary. In the 28th of his present majesty, an act was passed which constituted it felony to 
break or wilfully injure a stocking frame ; and it likewise directs that the holder of a frame shall 
give it up to the owner after he has received from the latter ie the customary and usual notice ;" 
which customary and usual notice, from long established practice, consists of fourteen days. In 
consequence of the crime of frame-breaking being so extensively pursued in 1811, an act was 
passed which made it death to break or wilfully injure a stocking or lace frame, or the machines 
thereunto appended ; but this was shortly superceded by another, which placed stocking, lace, and 
other frames under one common protection, and reduced the crime of breaking them to the 
punishment of transportation, according to the act of the 28th of the king. 

It is unnecessary to enter into a particular description of the various and numerous parts which 
constitute a stocking frame, since it is not like those productions of fancy, whose existence may be 
measured by a month, and a description of whose component parts might gratify idle curiosity 
during an hour. No, the frame is the offspring- of profound genius and nice discrimination^ has 
been brought to its present high state of perfection by the united talents of many ; and is become 
a staple article in the complex system of our national manufactories., as well as a great supporter 



* As a proof of the folly of working men being persuaded by attornies to expend their money on such occasions, I will relate the 
following circumstance: — Being in London on some public business, along with Mr. German Waterfall, shortly after the above question 
was decided, we called on Mr. Laudington, the company's solicitor, to make some inquiries about the business, when he complimented the 
people of Nottingham for their superior penetration and understanding, in consequence of their backwardness in paying contributions in 
supporting the company on this occasion, because, considering the altered state of trade from the time the charter was granted, the cause 
was hofelexs ; notwithstanding this very man had used his influence to persuade them to contribute while the trial was pending, from ac 
opinion given on his part that they would be ultimately successful. Mr. Laudington received about j6300 ! ! 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 219 



of our prosperity and fame ; nor will it ever be laid aside so long as stockings, and a great variety 
of other articles of dress, are considered necessary to the customs of society. But with respect to a 
description of the various additions to the stocking frame, the case is otherwise, some of Avhich are 
nearly forgotten, and others may share the same fate ; therefore of them a more particular 
description should be given. Deering states, that, in his time, no essential article had been added 
to the original machine ; the last sixty years, however, have made ample amends for the lack of 
early invention. And, it is worthy of remark that almost every improvement which this complicated 
piece of workmanship has received, has owed its birth to the genius of Nottingham or its 
neighbourhood. To be able to do justice to the memory of every one that has made discoveries 
and applied them to the stocking frame, would be highly gratifying ; but this is impossible, since 
almost every invention has had several claimants. Where the claim stands supported, however, by 
fair testimony, the name of the inventor shall be duly honored. 

TUCK RIBS. 

The additional machine for producing this work, consists of a tucker -presser, and was first 
known in Nottingham about the year 1756.* Some people pretend that we owe its origin to the 
brain of an Irishman in Dublin, while others assert that the invention came from a French refugee 
in London ; but, as we have no direct authority in support of either of these claims, it is very 
probable that the name of the inventor will never be known. 

The simplicity of the tuck-presser, and the numerous and diversified patterns which can be 
produced by its means, renders its invention far more admirable : it consists merely of a thin bar of 
iron attached by screws to the frame presser, so as to admit of its being moved to and fro, the 
space of one, two, or three needles, according to the pattern required ; there being grooves cut in 
the lower edge to admit of the needle or needles passing up, during the pressing motion, on which 
the tuck loops are wrought, while the teeth press down the other needle-beards to admit of the 
stitches passing over the needle-heads. And thus by moving it this way one course and that way 
another, while different coloured threads are worked, a diversity of shades is produced in a strait- 
down line, which gives to the stocking the appearance of party-coloured ribs. This kind of 
stockings is now out of fashion, but the tuck-presser has been applied to the manufacturing of 
other articles, as will be seen in the course of this chapter. 

DERBY RIBS. 

Long before the invention of the stocking frame, our fair knitters had introduced the plan of 
reversing the stitches in straight lines down the stocking; and, from the wales thus reversed lying- 
lower than those knitted in the ordinary way, the stockings so knitted were called ribs. Hence 
sprang a desire in the breast of many of those engaged in the framework-knitting business to 
produce an imitation. In this the tuck ribs failed, as they bore no resemblance to the original ribs, 



* That part of the frame called a pretier might more properly be called a pressing bar ; but the former phrase is prefered because it is 
•nirersally adopted by the trade. 



220 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



except in their different shades. The practice of making- turned clocks in plain stockings first 
suggested the plan of making, what have since been called Derby ribs ; and, indeed, many plain 
stockings were actually converted into ribs, by the tedious process of letting down alternate stitches, 
and turning them up on the rough side of the stocking, long before the invention of the rib 
machine * 

In this, as in almost every other invention, public opinion has been divided respecting the object 
on whom to confer the honor : an old stocking-maker of the name of Bowman, who resided at 
Dale-Abbey, it has been said by many, was the original projector of this machine ; but, knowing 
that the claim was a divided one, I wrote to William Strutt, Esq., of Derby, on the subject, and 
from whose answer I will give the following extract : — " It was Jedediah Strutt, my father, who 
" invented the Derby Rib machine, in the year 1758, or thereabouts. About that time he settled 
" in Derby for the purpose of carrying on the manufacture of ribbed stockings in conjunction 
" with his brother-in-law, Mr. W. Woollett, who was then a hosier, in that place, and which 
** partnership continued till the death of my father in the year 1797. A great part of the time 
< c during which the patent was in force, Mr. Samuel Need of Nottingham was a partner, under 
<f the firm of Need, Strutt, and Woollett. The patent right was tried twice in Westminster 
" Hall ; first with the hosiers of Derby, and afterwards with those of Nottingham, from which 
" time it was enjoyed quietly to the end of the term." Mr. Strutt did not give me the date of the 
patent, which I understand was in 1759 ; and common justice demands me to say, that, next to Mr. 
Lee himself, the country owes more to Mr. Strutt, the inventor, than to any other man that ever 
engaged in the framework-knitting or hosiery businesses, as from the application of his machine, 
the invention of every other machine, which has been appended to the stocking frame since that 
time, has progressively emanated. And from this slender, though fortunate beginning of an 
industrious and an ingenious workman (for I understand Mr. Strutt was a wheelwright,) have 
several most extensive fortunes been realized ; and, what is still more honorable, the names of the 
Strutts, as patriots, stand second to none in the kingdom. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE DERBY RIB MACHINE. 

The sole-bar of the machine being screwed lengthwise upon that part of the frame woodwork 
called a rafter, along with a standard at each end of it, the lower arms, which range horizontally, 
with a bar between them to keep them steady and separate, are fixed upon the pivot ends of two 
centre-screws which pass through the standards in a direction approaching each other. The 
lower arms, about seven inches long, present their ends towards the workman, while the upper 
arms, about nine inches long, are attached to them by means of compact joints : these arms being 
ranged in an inclined position against the frame hand-bar, to answer the movements they have to 
perform, have the lead-bar hung between them on centres near the top. Thus three rolling 
motions, which operate in different directions, are obtained by the same means. The leads, which 



* A stocking-maker of the name of Wright at llkiston, in Derbyshire, about 17:30, iwade a pair of ribs this way, and sold tbejs to » 
tinker for half-a-guinea. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 221 



are each an inch broad, and into the upper end of which the needles are cast, are scx*ewed to the lead- 
bar; and by putting the machine in motion, the needles are made to pass backwards and forwards 
between the needles in the frame, the latter ranging in an horizontal, and the former in an upright 
direction ; and when there are as many needles in the machine as there are in the frame, a 
stocking is produced called a one and one rib. If there be two needles in the frame for one in 
the machine, the stocking is called a tico and one rib. There are some which have from four to 
twenty frame needles, and from two to sixteen machine needles working alternately and distinctly in 
those particular numbers : and the stocking so produced is called a broad rib. 

Upon the top edge of the lead-bar, and behind the leads, is a thin plate of iron called a slide, 
which the workman pushes up with his fore fingers in order to force the stitches over the needle 
heads when the machine course is pressed ; there being an additional presser, with a curved edge^ 
screwed to the frame presser, which acts upon the machine needles by a second motion of the foot 
And, when any rib is made broader than a two and one, the pressing motion is used three times in 
one course — once for the frame and once for the machine, for the completion of the stitches, and 
once to press the stitches off those frame needles which are connected with them in the act of 
gathering the loops, and which have short beards for that purpose. Hence the broad ribbed 
stockings are called by the workmen press-off ribs. The machine, in its working position, is too 
high, when the frame is over the arch, to admit of the jacks falling sufficiently low, except the 
sinker arches fall upon the needle heads. To remedy this inconveniency a spring catch, fastened 
to the rafter, confines it down, from which it is disengaged at a proper time by a lever, called a 
knee-kick* striking against the spring-catch ; and it is then raised by a mainspring to a proper 
height, where it is stopt by a regulating star-screw, which is affixed to the top of the spring-catch. 
There are likewise two articles called thumb-plates, by the leverage power of which, the workman 
holds the machine in a forward position while he presses the machine course. This well-finished 
combination of parts and motions, required an extensive mechanical genius for its accomplishment; 
and if Mr. Strutt really received some original hints in the business, which is not improbable, as 
he was not himself a stocking-maker, yet that is no detraction to his merit. 

The first addition to this excellent piece of workmanship was an instrument called a hand-shackle, 
which was applied to the purpose of putting up the slide, without the workman being necessitated 
to apply his fingers to that article as above stated. The reader will discover the form of the hand- 
shackle by figuring to himself two light angular instruments, connected by an iron rod, with 
circular joints in the curve of each to admit of their extremities being extended or contracted ; the 
lower limbs of the angular instruments being considered much shorter than the upper ones. Now 
by affixing the ends of the lower limbs upon pivots to the elbow-joints of the machine, and the endg 
of the upper limbs to the ends of the slide, the workman, by grappling the connecting rod along 
with a fixed one, which passed from arm to arm of the machine, could thereby raise up his slide. 

Though this contrivance added little or nothing to the workman's speed, yet it gave him a certain 
degree of ease, and it furnished the idea of a superior discovery for the same purpose, since called 



* So called from the early practice of pushing it up with the knee : it is now put in motion by meaos of a pulley affixed to the presses. 

3 K 



222 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



a foot-shackle, and which is still in universal use. This consists of a kind of compound leverage, 
the centre movement of which rolls upon its own axis in the star-boxes at the top of the frame. 
Across tins rolling' bar, two levers are fastened, the front ends of which are connected with 
the ends of the slide by means of small links ; while to the back ends, wires are hung which reach 
down to a foot-paddle, the axle of which rolls in thimbles, which are driven into, or otherwise 
fastened to the foot-piece of the frame. Thus while the workman uses one foot to press the 
machine course, he applies the heel of the other to draw up his slide. 

Fancy stockings, called royal ribs, used to be made upon the Derby rib machine. The workman, 
by making a course of blue cotton and one of white alternately, and by pressing the stitches over 
on the machine needles only every other course, produced a stocking with a clear blue rib and a 
white ground. This, however, can only be done on a frame calculated to make the one and one 
rib* 

OILET-HOLE WORK. 

Common fame ascribes the invention of the first machine to make this work to one Betts of 
Mansfield ; but we should not be adding much to the interest of society or to the character of the 
inventor by inquiring further into the business, since the machine itself was little else than an unity 
of the principal parts and movements of the tuck presser and the Derby-rib machine; and further, 
it was shortly superceded by one far more proper for the purpose. But, notwithstanding this, 
Mr. John Morris of Nottingham obtained a patent both for the machine and the work, about the 
year 1763. 

To make this work, according to Mr Morris's specifications, the tuck-presser was used to enable 
the workman to bring those stitches in a proper state to the needle-heads which were intended to 
be shifted, in order to make the holes. The stitches were shifted by short pointed ticklers, which, 
being cast in leads in the usual manner, were fastened to the tickler-bar, which passed from arm to 
arm of the machine, and moved in the same manner as the needle bar of the Derby-rib machine, 
with this addition : — in the working motions it was raised horizontally for the purpose of the 
tickler points being brought in a parallel direction with the needle-heads, and then by a side motion 
of the hand, which the workmen call a shog (and which name will be applied hereafter to that 
motion,) after the stitches were caught by the ticklers, such stitches were put upon the needles 
intended to receive them. 

It was not long before this patent was invaded by Mr. Arthur Else of this town, a man well 
known at that time for his genius and misfortunes. Notwithstanding he was justly punished, for 
invading the patent right of Mr. Morris, in the loss of an action brought against him for that 
offence, yet he did more good in acting wrong, than his prosecutor did in acting right ; for his 
invention introduced a new principle of action into the machines attached to the stocking frame, 

which has rendered immeasurable benefit to many thousands, From it the knotted, twilled, 

stump, wire, and mesh machines took their rise. The principle of this machine consists in two 



* Breeches-pieces, of cotton and wersted, are now in making by the same means. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 223 



arms,, or dogs, screwed stationary upon the needle-bar between the star-boxes and the needle-leads ; 
and upon the interior plane of these arms., the horizontal bar, to which the ticklers are affixed, 
slides on its own axis, to answer its requisite motions. Near the far end, and in the hollow of the 
arms, nuts are screwed, which, by being slotted, regulate the space over which it is necessary for 
the ticklers to extend upon the needles ; and cheeks are screwed to the ends of the tickler-bar to 
re°ulate the shogging motion, while the stitches are shifted from needle to needle. Thus when 
the workman had finished his frame course, and had got his work back to the sinkers, by covering 
his needle beards with his ticklers, and bringing his hand-bar forwards to force the stiches upon 
the needles intended to receive them, he sunk his sinkers down between the ticklers and needles, 
while the one covered the other ; and by taking the frame over the arch the course was finished, 

and the machine disengaged. — After Mr. Morris had cast Mr. Else, he adopted the latter's 

invention, and the machinery which he had previously used was laid at rest for ever. He was 
enabled to do this from his having obtained a patent for the work. 

In 1 76? , two men of the names of Ross and Dorrella, obtained a patent for the manufacturing of 

VELVET 

upon the stocking frame. This business was chiefly carried on at London and Edmonton, though 
some little of it was done at Nottingham ; but, in consequence of the pile not being fast, the 
whole soon fell to the ground. The manner of making this species of velvet was as follows : — 
After the plain course was wrought, a slack course, in an impressed state, was brought to, and left 
at the needle-heads ; and then, by means of a tuck presser (the grooves of which were uncovered 
for the purpose) every second needle was pressed down, and, while they remained in this position, 
the workman passed a wire between them and those which continued in their natural situation, 
when the wire was brought forwards from among the needles, and the presser was permitted to 
rise. The wire being thus connected with the loops, another stiff course was wrought while it 
remained in that position ; and then a slack one and a stiff one alternately to the end of the piece. 
When ten, twenty, or any given number of wires were thus inwrapped in the work, the workman, 
with a sharp edged instrument, cut the loops in the centre — let out the wires, and thus formed the 
pile of the velvet. 

In a short time both the tuck presser and the wires were laid aside, and the pile was produced 
by the workman simply leaving the slack course at the needle-heads, and working the stiff course 
upon it ; and by the piece being shaved in like manner as are the Manchester velveteens. I have 
the more readily given a description of the making of this article, from a persuasion that it will 
hereafter be produced with ultimate success ; for conscious am I that our mechanics have 
surmounted greater difficulties than that of fastening the velvet pile. 

BROCADE. 

Two persons of the names of Crane and Porter obtained a patent, in 1768, for making this 
work upon the stocking frame ; and it was the most beautiful article ever wrought thereon. Here 
all the variegated colours of the rainbow were cast into captivating shades : all the tints and curves 



224 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



of the full-blown carnation were displayed in their diversifying splendour; and the twigs and 
branches of trees were represented in all their intertwining- forms. 

To enable the workman to produce these pleasing varieties,, a more than ordinary share of 
ingenuity was necessary. The needles, instead of being secured in leads by the usual mode of 
casting, had small bits of iron affixed to them, which were placed in grooves in the needle-bar, 
with a string to the end of each, which strings passed over a cylinder placed between the slur-wheel 
and the frame iron work. A boy* that, from the performance of this duty, was called a draw-boy, 
stood by the side of the frame, and was instructed to draw such needles back, by means of the 
strings, as were necessary to produce any given pattern, while the workman connected a variety of 
coloured threads of silk with those needles which remained in their working places. Query — 
Might not the same fancy patterns be produced by having them pricked upon the cylinder, as a 
tune is pricked upon the cylinder of an organ ; and, by the workman turning it with his foot, save 
the expense of a draw-boy, and give facility to the operations. 

After the loss of this branch of business, which was chiefly occasioned by the high price of the 
goods, another description was made, called inlaid, or shot-brocade. This was made by means of 
a twilled machine with a tickler to every other needle ; and when the plain course was wrought, 
and every second stitch taken off its respective needle, and the tickler points were turned upwards, a 
thread of coloured silk, or of gold or silver twist was laid in, by means of a thread-carrier, betwixt 
those stitches already on the ticklers and those which remained on the needles ; after which the 
removed stitches were replaced upon their respective needles, and the course was finished by the 
ordinary twilling motion. And, by applying the ticklers to the needles alternately, or changing 
such application as fancy might direct, the most beautiful waistcoat pieces were made which the 
imagination can conceive. A rising bar was afterwards added to this machine, which held as many 
ticklers as the former; and, by applying it when required, the common twilled work could be mixed 
with the shot-brocade. But framework-knitted brocade, like the velvet, is now only known by its 
name, and even that is almost forgotten. 

TWILLED WORK. 

The invention of the projecting arm, or dog, the covering tickler, and the horizontal sliding- 
bar opened a new and a most extensive field to the genius of those connected with the stocking 
frame. The machine, thus contrived, was not only used as has been stated, but it was applied to 
the making of what were called twilled waistcoat pieces and stockings, which gave ease and 
opulence to many families in this town. 

The reader will have already learnt the conformation of the twilled machine : he will have learnt 
that it embraces as many long covering ticklers as there are needles in the frame to which it is 
appended — that these ticklers are cast into leads, which are fastened upon the tickler-bar, by mean9 
of plates and screws — that the axis of this bar slide on the plane of the projecting arms — that nuts 
stop it in its progress towards the needles ; and that checks, screwed to the ends of it, regulate the 
tideshog in the twilling motion, by their coming in contact with the arms. 

In making the waistcoat pieces, a backing-thread, a tioilling-thread, and an inlay-thread were 



TSADB OF NOTTINGHAM. 225 



used. A plain course, of the backing-thread being wrought, a twilling course was then brought to 
the needle-heads, when, instead of the stitches being pressed over the loops, the ticklers were 
placed upon the needles and every stitch brought upon them, when their points were turned 
upwards : the inlay-thread was then passed between the stitches of the backing course and the 
loops of the twilling one : the machine then being shogged one needle or two according to the 
pattern, then replaced upon the needles, and, by the sinkers being chocked down between the 
ticklers, the work was taken back, and the complicated course thus finished. The same process is 
pursued in making twilled stockings, except that no inlay-thread is used. And, by varying the 
patterns by different movements of the machine, and using various coloured threads, most exquisitely 
beautiful articles were produced. 

While the backing consisted of good double cotton, and the twilling of the same material, or of 
silk, every day gave extension to the demand for the goods ; but when knavery and cupidity had 
introduced sing'e cotton into the articles, for the purpose of defrauding the customers, (perdition 
to the memory of the wretch that first caused single cotton to be used on a stocking frame) the 
credit of twilled goods soon went to decay, and their consequent extinction shortly followed. — 
Attempts have been made to revive this business, but with little success, as there is scarcely a 
twilled frame in being, except there may be a few in Leicestershire, where every thing which is 
base, deceptive, and dishonorable in the framework-knitting business is patronized and encouraged.* 
Whenever the demon of war shall permit peace to destroy the odious military costume, by the 
introduction of her tasteful fashions, twilled work will revive, if honesty should fortunately be the 
o-uide of those that undertake its restoration. 

In 1776, the guardian genius of Nottingham again opened her cabinet of curiosities, and 
presented to the children of industry a new source of wealth, and to the amateurs of dress the most 
beautiful and durable stockings ever made by human hands. It is unnecessary to inform those 
who are acquainted with the trade, that I allude to a patent granted, on the 16th of March in the 
above year, to Horton, Marsh, and Co. for the making of 



Upon the stocking frame, and for the machine with which such work was to be made. 

This machine too has a horizontal bar, whose axis slide on the plane of projecting arms, similar 
to what has been described. It is also stopt in its forward progress by nuts, and has cheeks to 
regulate its motion from side to side. But, instead of the long covering ticklers of the twilled 
machine, a short shouldered point is applied to every needle ; and, after a plain slack course is 
wrought, and the work is taken back to the sinkers, the points are set in under the needles, in eyes 
cut for that purpose : then, by a motion of the frame, which is performed by the hand or the foot, 
at the option of the workman, the machine is forced backwards sufficiently for the shoulder of the 
point to be level with the head of the needle, and by which means the points are also driven into 



Leicester stands in the same point of view, with respect to the stocking business, as Birmingham does to the current coin of the realm. 

3L 



226 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



the stitches ; after which, by a judicious motion of the hand, and at the same time by the turning a 
rack which moves the point-bar sideways just half a needle, the points are brought up between the 
needles, and every stitch is knotted by being put upon the next needle to that on which it was 
originally wrought. And thus, by turning the rack one way a given number of courses, and then 
the same number the other way, a ribbed stocking, waistcoat or breeches-piece is produced, which 
for lustre sets comparison at defiance. Or, by varying the motion of the rack each succeeding 
course,, which makes the shiftings alternate, and by adding a variety of colours to the threads, the 
most exquisitely beautiful shades are produced. 

To produce the rack motion, a sliding bar, on which the point leads are fastened, is laid 
lengthwise upon the bottom bar whose axis slide on the arms ; and the extent of the motion is 
regulated by a bit affixed to the point-bar, and which moves between the gauge-screws, which 
screws pass inwards in an opposite direction through the sides of what is called a horse-shoe, the 
latter being screwed to the bottom bar. To the point-bar are fastened horns which regulate the 
setting-in motion by their fitting against side-stays that are screwed to the needle-bar end of the arms. 
The horns and side-stays are necessary, to direct the points into the under eyes of the needles. 

So great was the demand for these beautiful and durable goods, that, in 1797, a thousand silk 
knotted frames could furnish but a scanty supply ; but the breaking out of the Spanish war much 
injured the foreign demand ; and, by the introduction of the barbarous military fashions from 
Germany, the home trade soon went to decay ; so much so, that in 1804, there were scarcely fifty 
frames of this kind in employment. Since that time the ladies in high life have taken to wearing 
silk knotted stockings, which has given new life to this branch of business. From the time the 
patent was obtained, to within the last ten or fifteen years, many worsted and cotton knotted hose 
were made ; but by the vile practice pursued in Leicestershire of cutting this kind of stockings out 
of pieces, instead of making them sound, by shaping them on the frame, that branch of business 
has been lost. 

Three attempts succeeded in producing imitations of knotted work, by means of a twilling 
machine and some additional apparatus ; and imitations they only were ; for, to compare them 
with the original, would be like comparing the fugitive caricature prints with the fine paintings of 
Rubens, Reynolds, and Hogarth. The first was called wire-work, from a wire being passed 
between the loops and stitches, after the latter had been gathered by the ticklers, in the same 
manner as the inlay thread was laid in, in the twilled waistcoat-pieces. When the wire was laid 
in, the course was twilled, the frame brought over the arch, and the jacks drawn for a succeeding 
course while the wire lay behind the sinker-nibs. The work being then brought to the needle- 
heads, the wire was drawn out, and, the far end of it being broad, by that mean the backing was 
forced over the needle-heads, while the plating, which was of silk, was left upon the needle-beards; 
and thus, if the silk happened to be of a tolerable size, the cotton backing was concealed. 

This was the invention of a person of the name of Ash ; but, as the wire, by so frequently- 
coming in contact with the needles, produced many inconveniences to the workmen, the invention 
of stumps, by the ingenious Samuel Hague, drove the wire out of the field, as the stockings thereby- 
produced were of the same description. 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 227 

This work now changed its name from wire to stump-work, and was produced by there being a 
stump, consisting of a bit of wire, which was cast into the leads over each needle, and extended 
about the eighth of an inch over the ends of the needle-beards. In making the ordinary course a 
presser was not used ; for when the course was twilled in the usual manner it was put upon the 
stumps with the ticklers, when the workman, in the act of sinking his next course, brought his 
frame sufficiently forward to let the loops slip from the ends of the stumps, while the last finished 
course remained upon them : he then had to move his frame backwards, so as to bring the loops 
under the needle-beards, and then by bringing his frame forwards in the usual way, the stitches 
were brought over the loops. In making the twilling course the stumps answered the same purpose 
as the broad end of the wire did in the last named contrivance, by letting the backing slip from 
them upon the needles, Avhile the plating remained ; so that the silk was connected with and plated 
every course. This plan, in a short time was succeeded by one called, a mesh-machine, the united 
invention of William Green, a setter-up, and the before mentioned Mr. Hague ; hence the goods 
wrought thereby bore the name of mesh-work. 

In this description of frames, too, the presser is unnecessary, the use of it being supplied by the 
ticklers, in the following manner : — When the twilling operation of the course is finished, and the 
frame is brought over the arch, instead of the machine being taken off the needles, as is usual in 
making the ordinary twilled work, it is taken forward by the last mentioned motion of the frame, 
so as to keep the stitches on the ticklers ; and in this situation it remains while the thread is laid 
and the jacks are drawn for the backing course ; (the ticklers being cranked, and the machine 
being raised sufficiently high to admit of the thread being laid across the needles while it remains 
in this position,) the frame being then brought forward, the machine, with the last wrought course 
on the ticklers, is brought along with it; so that while the loops are brought under the needle-beards, 
the stitches are brought over them ; and thus the pressing motion is dispensed with. In the 
performance of these operations the plating course is left behind the backing, and thus every course 
becomes plated. The number of these frames was very great within the last twenty years ; but, 
by the introduction into the branch, of that deadly cankerworm, single cotton, the number soon 
became reduced extremely low, 

From the wire, stump, and mesh stockings possessing more elasticity than the twilled ones, they 
obtained the general appellation of elastics. And it ought to be observed, that knots, twills, and 
all their imitations are made sideways ; consequently the frames must be from twenty-eight to 
thirty-four inches wide. 

A person of the name of Ball attempted to make the elastic plates by means of hooks, instead of 
ticklers ; but the bare mentioning of this ephemeral plan is more than it deserves. 

WARPS. 

In 1775, Mr. Crane, of Edmonton, whom we have already noticed, made a machine, which 
formed another epoch in the history of framework-knitting, since it united the stitch of the stocking 
frame with the warp of the weaver's loom. 



228 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



There have been three competitors for the honor of this invention, viz. Mr. Marsh, one of the 
knotted patentees, Mr. Crane, and Mr. James Morris, then of Nottingham, but now of Doncaster, 
if living-. The state of the fact, as I had it from Morris himself, is as follows— Crane, as has 
been already stated, was the inventor, and, like most other geniuses not being- overburdened with 
money, he communicated to Marsh the import of his discovery, who gave him an hundred guineas 
for the secret, and for the privilege of using it as his own. Marsh, at the instigation of his partner 
Morton, came to Nottingham, for the advantage of superior workmen to put his scheme in practice, 
when Morris got some insight into the business, and being himself an expert mechanic, he 
immediately set about making a warp frame. The credit of Marsh being hereby brought to issue; 
and doubts being- raised as to the probability of a patent being- obtained, Mr. Morton caused him 
and Mr. Morris to be brought before himself, to display their several pretentions to the honor of 
the invention ; when, in fact, neither of them had any more claim to its originality than had the 
man in the moon, and this, Morris, was honest enough to tell me, though many years after the 
transaction.* 

It still remains a matter of dispute, among those concerned in the Nottingham trade, whether the 
invention of the warp frame is a good or an evil : one party contending that it is a good, from its 
having furnished thousands with the means of subsistence ; while the others contend that this is not 
strictly the fact, " because," say they, " the warp frame has not caused a demand for framework- 
" knitted goods, which would not otherwise have existed, except in the article of sailors jackets ; 
" and, that it is an evil because the warp work in general has diffused a principle of disgrace upon 
" the greater part of the framework-knitted branch of the national trade." When warp work is 
made into stockings, from the necessity there is of shaping them with scissors, it is impossible to 
consider it in any other than a spurious and contaminating point of view : the event, however, has 
proved that the evil carries with it its own antidote ; for, to the honor of the trade, there is scarcely 
a warp stocking manufactured at the present time, or has been for some years, except it be in 
Leicestershire, that eternal sink of disgrace to the stocking business. As a preventive against 
imposition, the most superficial observer may distinguish between warp and other stockings — if the 
former be party-coloured, from the zig zag manner in which the colours are intermixed they are 
immediately to be distinguished ; and when made of a solid colour there is no fear of imposition, 
except they are mistaken for knotted ribs. On this score much damage was done some years ago 
to the sale of knotted breeches-pieces, from the close imitation which silk warps bore to those 
excellent articles. The warps, in a great degree, destroyed the credit of the knotted-pieces, and then 
fell victims to their own imperfections, as a murderer gets hanged for taking the life *>f a valuable 
member of society. Another distinguishable defect in the warp stockings is, their possessing little 
more elasticity than a piece of common linen ; consequently, if they be made to fit the leg, they 
will tear in the act of drawing them on. Notwithstanding the native and irremoveable defects in 
these stockings and breeches-pieces, there were 300 frames at least, employed in manufacturing 
them within the last sixteen years ; and probably the number would still have been considerable, 

* Much merit is also due to Mr. James Tarrat, of this town, for early improvement, if not for the original invention of the warp frame, 



TEADB OF NOTTINGHAM. 229 



on account of the extremely low price at which they were sold, if the cupidity of the manufacturers 
had not caused them to be made of single cotton, which in a short time drove them out of the 
market. Indeed, after this, for a man to be seen with a pair of warp stockings on, it was sure to 
cause him to be pointed out as an object incapable of obtaining a better pair, Here one pest 
destroyed another, as the crocodile destroys the noxious reptiles which fall within its grasp. 

In the year 1796, John Barber, Esq. of Bilborough, in this neighbourhood, obtained a patent 
for making double-lap stocking stitch-work upon the warp engine or frame. From the 
article produced by this invention being as stout as a blanket, when made of good worsted, and 
being without the property inherent in that article of contracting in size after being wet, Mr. 
Barber conceived the idea of converting it into sailors' jackets ; which, in his opinion, would be 
warmer and more pliable than those in general use.* With this view he applied to the Lords of 
the Admiralty, petitioning their lordships to have the experiment made under the eye of one of our 
naval commanders. To this proposition they agreed, and Lord Nelson was pitched upon for the 
purpose. The event surprised Lord Nelson and the Lords of the Admiralty, and justified the 
expectations of Mr. Barber — the project was adopted; and the sailors were cloathed in the 
manufacture of Nottinghamshire, that gained the glorious victory of Trafalgar, on the 21st of 
October, 1805, when Lord Nelson lost his life. The double-lap, when made on fine frames and 
is wrought of good worsted, forms an excellent article for gentlemen's pantaloons. 

Since the failure of warp stockings, many of the frames have been employed in making lace ; 
but more of this hereafter. The stocking and warp frames differ essentially in their powers, as 
well as conformation : the former being a complete engine of itself, and is capable of having 
articles of the finest texture wrought upon it; while the latter is nothing without its conjunctive 
machine. 

NOTTINGHAM LACE. 

The discovery of the mines of Potosi, in the year 1545, was of far less value, and far less 
honorable to the cruel and merciless Spaniards, than the discovery of making lace on the stocking 
frame has been to the people of Nottingham — the mines sink in value by application, and diffuse 
eternal disgrace on the iniquitous nation that discovered them ; while framework-knitted lace will 
be a spring of never-ceasing wealth to this town, if avarice does not destroy it by unfair dealings, 
as its source receives a constant replenish from the genius of those it employs; thus stamping upon 
it the images of gratitude and growing vigour, which brighten by comparison with every source of 
ill-gotten store. 

The facility with which oilet-holes could be made by the covering tickler, gave the first idea of 
manufacturing lace upon a stocking frame. The different sorts made with the twilled machine 
were, the Valenciennes, the two-plain, the Jlowered, or joining-net, and the spider. The 
Valenciennes was made with a tickler to every other needle, with which, when the plain course was 
wrought, every second stitch was shifted to the next needle but one ; then, by another motion of 



* This gentleman, it is generally understood, spent a fortune of £50,000 in mechanism, and in permitting knaves to impose on his 
credulity. 

3 M 



; 



J niSTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



the machine, the stitch remaining- untouched was removed the same distance, and in the same 
direction. The same process was pursued the next course, only the stitches were shifted the 
contrary way; and thus a double cross-stitch net was produced, which was well calculated for mits, 
gloves, and purses. When this net was made with only shifting once in a course, it was called 
single eross-siitch. And the two-plain was so called from there being a tickler only to every third 
needle, consequently two needles remained plain every course ; though by moving the ticklers with 
a rack handle, any of the stitches could be shifted, as the workman was directed by his pattern or 
his whim. 

The flowered, on joining-net took its name from certain parts of the work being left plain in the 
shape of flowers, which in some patterns were joined by intertwining branches. Instead of the 
ticklers being cast into leads in the usual manner, they were made of thick wire, and bad the bottom 
ends battered broad, through a hole in each of which, a wire passed lengthwise on the tickler-bar, in 
the form of a spindle, upon which the ticklers moved in a leverage motion as they were acted upon 
for that purpose. When it was necessary to leave any particular space plain for the purpose of 
forming a flower, a branch, or a sprig, the ticklers, which would otherwise have acted upon these 
parts, were turned upwards by means of a roller on which the patterns were set, in like manner as 
tunes are pricked on the cylinder of an organ. The invention of this net is attributed to Mr. 
Robert Frost. Two other plans were attempted for raising the ticklers — one by means of slides 
and the other with strings and pullies : but with very indifferent success. 

Spider-net received its name from the figure of an insect of that name being wrought in the 
work, which was done by making the ticklers act upon appropriate needles. In fact, wildworms 
diamonds, and an almost endless variety of other devices can be formed by the same means. In 
1S06, there was a great demand for this net, for ladies' habit shirts, &c. ; but its own imperfections 
soon reduced the consumption of it to what was used by women, whose reputation was little better 
than its own ; and they used it for no other purpose than that of giving a bewitching appearance 
to the bosom, while they falsely assumed its concealment. 

SQUARE-NET. 

This net possesses a greater degree of lustre and durability than any other, and is therefore better 
calculated for mits, gloves, purses, and shawls, of any yet produced. Mr. Robert Frost obtained a 
patent for the making of this net by a machine, the conformation and principal movements of 
which were founded on the Derdy-rib machine. During the existence of the patent, attempts were 
made to invade it, by making the net with the knotted machine, but this never succeeded till the 
year 1798 ; and the reader, by refeih-g to the knots, will see the principle of this improvement, 
while we describe the practice in shewing the formation of the net. 

A tuck-presser is made use of, which presses the stitch over the loop on every other needle, after 
which the work is put back to the sinkers by means of a pushing-bar, which is affixed to the 
machine ; which machine is like a knotted one, with the exception of its having a point only to 
every other needle, and having an additional bar, which lies between the bottom bar and the point 
bar, and to which the horns are affixed ; so that by means of an additional rack handle, the point 



TKABE OF NOTTINGHAM. 231 



bar is moved to and fro, to enable the workman to apply the point to this or that needle,, without 
altering the position of the horns, which was the movement so long unsuccessfully sought for.— - 
The pressed stitches are now knotted upon the unpressed ones both ways, the machine being used 
twice every course for that purpose. Thus by varying the presser and the points one needle every 
course, square fast meshes are produced, which form a net, as has been stated, superior to any other 
for certain purposes.* 

JVARP-LACE. 

About the year 1784, a Mr. Ingham, of this town, discovered the art of making net upon a warp 
frame'; but for reasons, which I am not fully acquainted with, the scheme was given up. In 1787, 
William Dawson, an ingenious needle-maker, contrived a warp engine for the making of lace, the 
different parts of which were set in motion by a wheel, which was turned by the hand. In a short 
time after he got a factory built in Turncalf-alley, which contained a considerable number of 
these machines ; but his grinding of lace, as his plan was sarcastically called, succeeded very 
indifferently, as the net cost nearly as much mending as it did making. He afterwards took to 
manufacturing a different description of net, which answered well for officers' sashes, window 
curtains, braces, &c. And, in 1800, he removed with his machinery to Islington near London ; 
his factory in Nottingham being afterwards converted into a silk mill. 

Various patents have been obtained, by persons of this town, for making warp lace ; but so 
numerous are the pretensions set up for the invention of different movements and variously formed 
meshes, that it would be no easy matter to enumerate them : suffice it to say, on that head, that the 
patentees and other inventors mutually laugh at, and invade each other schemes. 

POINT- JYET. 

This branch, which more than any oilier has contributed to the prosperity of Nottingham, had 
various competitors for the honor of its discovery. Thomas Taylor and son, James Morris, and 
one Flint, all Nottingham men, have all a share in the credit. The Taylors laid a separate claim 
to the honor, and so did the other two individually; but the most probable state of the case is, 
that the world is indebted for it to the genius of the whole. Flint first conceived the idea, 
and his necessities induced him to communicate it to the Taylors for twenty pounds, who were 
framesmiths and good mechanics, consequently they could work by his instructions, and add 
something from their own stock of ingenuity. Still, however, the thing was not complete, and 
Morris was called in, who gave the finishing ideas to the formation of the mesh; and all he ever got 



* A few stockings were made with a stripe of knotted work and stripe of net alternately, the latter being made of stouter silk, and the 
machine beins applied only once in a course, a handsome three-square hole was produced; the grooves in the tuck-presser being covered 
with a slide while the knotted rib was wrought. These stockings, from their superior beauty, it was thought would have had a-rendy sale ; 
but the cupiditv of one or two persons destroyed the scheme in its bud. 

In 1803, a gre.it improvement was made in the tuck-presser, by casting stumps, with grooved ends, into leads of an inch broad, which are 
screwed upon a slide which moves on the surface of the common presser. These stumps answer the purpose of teeth in the pressing slide j 
and are in every way better calculated to suit the intended purpose, particularly as the workmen are not subject to half the misfortunes, 
a they are with the teeth in the pressing slide. 






232 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



for his services was the satisfaction arising- to an honorable mind from having- added something to 
the stock of human benefits. About the year 1113, the Taylors obtained a patent for the 
manufacturing of this net, which they sold to Mr. Morris, the oilet-hole mit patentee., and he sold it 
to John Hayne and Co. to whose determined perseverance the net owes much of its importance 
in the fashionable world. 

For lightness and beauty of texture, and for regularity of mesh, this net had no parallel ; nor 
have the subsequent inventions in the art of making lace, apart from the point-net machine, 
produced a parallel, in all the various purposes to which fancy has applied it. Still, during the 
first twelve or fourteen years of its existence, it could not establish that sort of credit which is 
necessary to ensure to a newly introduced article of fancy an extensive sale, which was owing to 
its not possessing a sufficient degree of fastness in the mesh to prevent it from roving when a thread 
should happen to be broken. Various trials were made both in Nottingham and Mansfield, (a few 
frames of this description having been set to work in the latter place) to fasten the stitch upon the 
frame ; and many are the claimants to the honor of its accomplishment ; but if we are to credit the 
history of Mansfield, the object was attained by John Rogers of that place, in the year 1786,—- 
Shortly after the completion of this desirable object the net changed its name, from loose-point, or 
single-press, to fast-point, or double-press ; and experience soon proved that it merited public 
approbation ; as a proof of which we need only name, that, at the time the mode of fastening- the 
stitch was discovered, there were few more than twenty point-net frames in existence, and some of 
them not more than eighteen or twenty inches wide; whereas in 1810, there were at the least 
fifteen hundred frames employed in this manufacture, and many hundreds of them more than thirty 
inches wide ; which, taking the business in all its branches, gave employment to, from ten to fifteen 
thousand persons, including women and children. It is worthy of remark too, that great numbers 
of women and children, in the counties of Derby, Leicester, York, Stafford, &c. received employment 
in whipping, running, and tambouring this net, when other work could not be obtained. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE POINT-NET MACHINE. 
This machine, like the Derby-rib, is screwed upon the rafter, and its motions too, in general are the 
same. The standard-bars, about thirteen inches long (four inches of which are bent down, so as 
to admit of a slot, and one inch of the parts thus bent down is turned up for a screw to pass 
through in a perpendicular direction) being laid on the rafter, a back-bar. as long as the machine 
is wide, and having upright ends which will admit of strong centre-screws passing through them, 
is then screwed to the standard-bars, and rests upon the perpendicular screws, which are called 
gauge-screws ; and thus the foundation of the machine is laid. The bottom, or horizontal arms, 
which are about ten inches long, being connected by two cross-bars, are then fixed between the 
centre-screws, upon which they move in a leverage direction ; and thus the first movement is 
produced. The extent of this motion is determined by top and bottom standard-screws, which 
are affixed to the near end of the standard-bars, and between which the bottom arms move. The 
ends of those arms (which are brought out sufficiently to give the machine an inclining position 
when in its working motions) have circular sockets, in an inward direction, in which the axis of the 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 233 



spindle-bar roll. From the spindle-bar rise the side-arms, near the upper end of which the 
top centre-screws pass through, and on the points of the latter the centre-bits, to which the tickler- 
bar is attached, perform their half-circular motions. To the hand-bar of the frame are screwed 
two cranked bits of iron called temporary-levels, against the inclined surface of which the tickler- 
bar rests, as well when the frame is over the arch as when the second pressing motion is performing. 
To the tickler-bar are screwed leads of an inch broad each, into which the ticklers are cast, each 
of the latter having an eye sufficiently broad to cover two needles, while the blades of the ticklers 
are thin enough to pass between the needles without driving them from their natural position. A 
thin side-bar lies behind the leads, and is confined in its proper sphere of action by long end-bits 
screwed thereto, and which pass in their rising and falling motions between the tickler-bar and 
iron-loops, which are screwed to the last mentioned bar. These being the great essential parts of 
the machine, the lesser ones will be described when we are speaking of their motions and utility. 

While the jacks are drawn, the blades" of the ticklers lie between the needles and behind the 
sinker-nibs, which causes them to become connected with the loops when the plain course is 
wrought. When this is done, the workman puts the frame back with his right hand, while with 
his left he takes hold of the machine handle, which is screwed near to the centre of the tickler-bar. 
and by its means he turns the latter bar, and consequently the ticklers also, from a perpendicular 
to an horizontal direction, at the same time rolling the machine upon its back centre-screws and 
raising the body of it from the bottom to" the top standards, so that every tickler, by coming in 
contact with the needles, embraces two in its eye ; at the same time the half circular motion of the 
tickler-bar, causes the cranked ends of the slide-bar to strike against the pushing-springs, which 
are screwed to the side-arms ; and thus by the slide-bar being forced upwards, it drives the loops 
upon the needles, from which the ticklers are then drawn ; and thus the loose-point, or single-press 
course is finished. And by working the next course with the tickler-blades between the contrary 
needles, which is done by the spindle-bar being shogged the space of one needle in the sockets in 
which it rolls, the point-net mesh is completed. 

To produce the fast-stitch.ihe workman, instead of drawing the ticklers off the needles when 
both are connected with the loops, he draws the machine towards him sufficiently for the tickler- 
eyes to quit the needle-heads ; at the same lime a bolt, which slides up and down in sockets which 
are screwed into the off side of one of the side-arms, stops the motion of the machine by coming in 
contact with a gauge-screw, which projects towards the frame in an horizontal direction for that 
purpose, and which passes through the cranked end of a piece of iron screwed to the needle-bar. — 
The machine is now dropped down to the bottom standards, and thereby the tickler-blades are 
brought between the needles and put back to the sinkers, while both ticklers and needles are 
involved in the loops. The lower edge of the tickler-bar now rests against the temporary-levels, 
while the upper edge, to which the tickler-leads are screwed, is brought sufficiently forwards for 
the ticklers to bring the loops under the needle-beards, in which motion it is arrested by a cranked 
tumbler laying hold of the top of the bolt. The slide-bar, by means of a tongue descending from 
its centre, which is connected by a string with a thumb-bit, that rolls on a swivel in the centre of 
the tickler-bar is put up in order to divide the stitches from the loops, so as to admit of the needle- 

3 N 



231 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



beard ends being pressed down between them. The presser is now put down — the bolt is drawn 
down from behind the tumbler — the course pressed a second time — the stitches are again forced 
over the loops, and the latter are again put upon the needles, as described at the conclusion of the 
single-press operations ; and thus the double-press course is completed. — The pressure upon the 
left hand, in the act of raising the machine, is in a great measure taken away by a mainspring 
which operates from the rafter again t the front cross-bar of the machine. — The bolt is drawn from 
behind the tumbler by a lever which connects it with the locker of the frame, and is raised to its 
steady position by a small spring. — There are also guard-screws, projecting from the needle-bar, 
for the purpose of preventing the ticklers from touching the needle-heads when the former are in 
a perpendicular direction. 

Many ingenious workmen have applied their inventive powers to the simplifying several of the 
motions, by changing or adding to the machine a variety of articles ; but as these depend more 
upon the whim and caprice of the workmen, than upon real utility, I shall not trouble the reader 
with their names, or the purposes to which they are applied. 

A feeling of grateful respect to a branch of business, to which Nottingham owed a great part of 
its support from 1797 to 1811, will account for the minute description given of this machine. — 
When the French war, the Spanish war, and a change of fashions attendant upon a war system 
had nearly destroyed every branch of the fancy trade in stockings — when want and starvation were 
shaking their whips at the industrious inhabitants of this town, the point-net branch blazed forth 
like a great luminary to guide their steps from the path of sorrow. And, whatever may have been 
the foibles of Flint, to whose inventive genius the town owes so much in the discovery of this 
machine, it is a pity that abject poverty should be his companion in his old age ; and, if he should 
outlive the publication of this article, I hope it may induce a subscription for his support — the 
money might more than repay the benefactors, by inducing others to exert their powers of mind for 
the public good. 

The extreme fineness of the frames, on which point-net is wrought, formed an obstacle to the 
making the net of any other material than that of silk, till the year 1804; which, in consequence 
of that material being incapable of receiving a perfect whiteness, a substitute had long been called 
for by the public. Fine cotton and flaxen yarn, the latter of which cost forty guineas a pound, 
had been tried with a thread of silk to each ; but let the silk be doubled with which it might, the 
threads always cut or discoloured each other. Notwithstanding repeated failures, the lace 
manufacturers urged the cotton spinners to proceed in their endeavours to spin yarn sufficiently 
fine to admit of its being worked double. This they accomplished in the above-mentioned year, 
and at a time too when silk was so very scarce, that, otherwise, numbers of workmen must have 
stood still for want of employment. . 

The introduction of cotton net into the market soon produced a most extensive sale, not only 
from its preserving a perfect whiteness, but from its answering almost every purpose of the bone, 
or cushion lace, at a much cheaper rate. In 1808, cotton point-net was at its zenith of glory, at 
which time more than six hundred frames of the first quality were employed in manufacturing it ; 
but it was doomed to fall a sacrifice to the eyil genius of the trade — cupidity introduced single 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 235 



cotton, that eternal pest, and even single-press, made of that worst of all materials, was also 
re-produced — single cotton, sometimes wrought into single and sometimes into double-press, 
was foisted in cargoes upon foreign merchants for the genuine double cotton net — shoals of 
speculators, or rather peculators issued from the town with robbery in their eyes, deceit in their 
hearts, falsehood on their tongues, and boxes of spurious net on their backs, with the latter of which 
they soon inundated the country, till in a short time no person of respectability could be found that 
would buy the good cotton point-net, for fear of being imposed upon by the bad ; and at the 
present time (1815) scarcely a yard of it is made, except a little single-press at Mansfield. The 
more reputable among the manufacturers adopted the plan of distinguishing between the genuine 
and the spurious by printed labels, which had a good effect for a time • but the infamous soon 
found the means of playing upon this plan, for they labelled too, but took care to label the bad for 
the good ; and thus the ruin of this valuable branch of business was completed. It is soma 
consolation however, to know, that the radical quality of silk is a preventive to the infamous arts ; 
and to this may be attributed, that point-net lace is still, and I hope will ever be in repute. It is 
proper to observe here, that cotton net is still made upon warp frames to a considerable extent. 



It has been too much the practice, particularly some years ago, with the manufacturers of fancy 
goods in this town, to endeavour to abate the workmen in their prices, which could answer the 
object of avarice only for a time, because the circumstance of a reduction in the manufacturing 
price cannot be long kept from the ears of the consumer. And the practice is still more 
inexcuseable (and I know I shall be borne out in the assertion by the testimony of every honorable 
manufacturer in the trade) because a corresponding depression, in the estimation of the rich, in 
articles of fancy dress, always accompanies a reduction of their prices. To repel these attacks 
upon their prosperity, the workmen, in some of the branches, were in the habit of clubbing their 
mites to enable them to support the hands of any particular employer, for the purpose of stopping 
his business when he made an attempt to reduce their prices. An act, called the Combination Act, 
was passed in the year 1799, which compelled the knotted and point-net workmen to break up 
their funds, which they did on the 12th of October the same year. But, as an object of torture 
always loses part of its terrors by becoming familiar to the eye, so this has been the case with the 
Combination Act in many instances in this town, particularly when the workmen have had justice 
on their side, w 7 hich is always considered so by the public when attempts are made to reduce their 
earnings, except a reduction in the prices of the necessaries of life has previously taken place. The 
Combination Act is marked with such direct partiality as to make it odious in the eyes even of those 
who seek to further their own views by taking advantage of its provisions ; and even the barristers 
that accept briefs founded upon it will generally hesitate in their declamations. The facilities it 
affords for punishing the employed, over what it affords for punishing the employers is the cause 
of its being held in general abhorrence. Hence it is that the workmen employed in the point-net 
branch, by conducting their opposition to the individual attacks of their employers in peace have 
universally linked public sympathy to their cause, and have generally been successful. 



236 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



The mode adopted formerly of measuring- the lace pieces by the employers was the most 
preposterous which the imagination can conceive. The standard of calculation was for a piece 
to measure twelve long yards, which were paid for as twelve common yards ; and the understanding; 
in the trade was, that a piece of this length should measure eighteen stretched yards, on account 
of the elastic quality of the net. But an unprincipled heart in the measurer always unnerved his 
arm in the act of admeasurement; and to such an excess did impositions creep upon the heels of 
each other in this practice, till many workmen were actually compelled to make twenty-four yards 
for twelve, and even then they had no guarantee against further imposition. In 1809, a plan was 
proposed to remove this intolerable grievance, by adopting a mode of admeasurement founded on 
calculation, which was universally approved of by the workmen, and warmly supported by every 
honorable employer ; and the dishonorable were put to the blush. The following handbill, which 
was published on the 24th of August, in the above year, will throw much light upon the business : — 

To the Gentlemen Lace Manufacturers, assembled at the Punch Bowl, Peck-lane, for the 
purpose of adopting measures pursuant to the good of the trade. 

Gentlemen, the workmen, presuming on your condescension, think it would argue an utter indifference on their part 
to the general interest of the trade, were they to suffer a crisis so momentous as the present is to its future welfare to 

pass without their notice. Your professed objects are, the removal of two evils, whose consequences, although not 

equally destructive in appearance, yet, by suffering them to exist, they will be found so in the sequel. You will easily 
perceive, that we allude to the making of single cotton net, and the measurement of pieces. The means of removing 
the first of these evils, we conceive you to be in full possession of; if not, alf. our endeavours shall be turned to the 
aiding you in the laudable pursuit : while on the latter subject, we beg leave to offer a few observations. 

It is well known to you, Gentlemen, that the nature and contexture of the net are such as to preclude the possibility 
of establishing a standard mode of measurement, so as to prevent those disquietudes and jealousies which constantly 
exist between the employer and employed, and even among the employers themselves ; each one having his particular 
mode of measuring, which he can vary at his will, or as it may suit his purpose; that is, each one considers himself 
justified in obtaining the greatest possible length, that he may be enabled to go to market and sell cheaper than his 
neighbour; thus a competition is produced which engenders ill-blood among the employers— -reduces the article in 
public estimation, and eventually bring a continual abati ment upon the workmen, by continually adding to the length 
of their pieces ; which, considering the never-ceasing advancement in the prices of the necessaries of life, and the 
increase of house-rent, taxes, &c. is likely, even in this respect, to produce consequences too serious for contemplation. 
And furthermore, this fortuitous competition so reduces the value of the article, that every contrivance is adopted to 
make net of inferior materials, and of inferior quality, to ensure individual sale. Thus by deceiving the public for a 
time, public faith is lost, and with it the trade itself must perish, to the inevitable ruin of thousands of workpeople, 
and to the serious detriment of those gentlemen who have embarked their property therein. And we beg leave to give 
it as our opinion, that no plan will effectually put a stop to the evils resulting from the present distracting mode of 
measuring, bnt that of paying by count'— a plan, which wants nothing but your concurrence and injunction to put it 
in practice ! ! 

Objections may be started to it, we know ; but those objections, we flatter ourselves, we can obviate. For instance, 
it may be supposed that some workmen will be so vile as to filch from the numbers of holes agreed upon to be, 
between the marks ; but, it being understood that detection in this respect would not only cost the defaulter his seat 
of work, but likewise his character in the trade, so that he would not be able to obtain employment elsewhere-— 
common fear would keep the designing honest; for who would employ such a wretch ? and who dreads not obtaining 
the character of a vagabond ? Thus the manufacturer would have nothing to do, after seeing that the net was brought 
in agreeable in quality, but to count over the number of marks, and to give orders to have his pieces made with a 



TRADE OF NOTTINGHAM. 237 



number of marks to correspond with the length required. And, if in the act of counting over, he suspected foul play, 
one of his warehouse girls would quickly determine the question ; and the consequences of fraud would be immediately 
felt in the displeasure of the employer. 

The plan here alluded to, we flatter ourselves, is pregnant with many benefits to the trade, inasmuch as it would 
cause happiness to exist between the employer and the employed, in their transactions with each other. --it would 
prevent that destructive competition between the employers themselves, and all the consequences attendant thereon. 

Gentlemen, we have forborne to enter at large into a minute detail of the plan in question, under an idea that it 
mi"ht be too tedious for immediate discussion— its benefits struck us as its most prominent feature ; but any 
information on the subject, we shall at all times be ready to submit. 

This was signed, on the part of the workmen, by German Waterfall, John Blackner, Samuel 
Peace, and Thomas Brooks. 

This bill, as was expected, produced a great sensation in the meeting of manufacturers : Mr. 
William Hayne, the greatest manufacturer in the town, who had been returned from France about 
twelve months, after seven years' captivity, most warmly espoused the cause of the workmen, in the 
professed plan of paying by count, as also did many more honorable characters among the 
employers — they did more — they immediately adopted means for carrying it into execution, by 
ordering an instrument to be made, called a rack, which consists of several small tooth and pinion 
wheels, a hammer, and a bell ; the whole being cased in a box and affixed to some part of the 
frame, so that the wheels can be acted upon by the rotary motion of the slur ; and when as many 
revolutions have been performed as are required for the production of an agreed number of holes 
or meshes lengthwise between the marks, the hammer strikes the bell, which is the signal for the 
workman to weave into the selvage of his piece a bit of coloured silk.* 

This plan, though founded on the principles of eternal justice, was warmly opposed by Mr. 
William Nunn, a first rate manufacturer at that time, and an exotic, and a tyrant in the trade ; 
nor was he wanting of a few others to support him in his nefarious opposition ; but they soon 
yielded to the weapons of public disapprobation and shame; and before the close of the year 1810, 
he was left to support the contest in favor of injustice himself. The following extract from a 
hand-bill, published by the workmen on the 9th of July, 1810, will illustrate the above remarks. — 
It is necessary however to state, that the gentlemen that had adopted the rack had also agreed to 
reduce the rent of lace frames, to destroy the inducement which high rents held out to persons not 
in the trade to buy frames, a practice which had been much pursued, and which was considered 
materially injurious. These manufacturers had therefore given public notice, that, on a given day, 
they would abate the price of making the point-net piece, in their own defence, except the non- 
complying manufacturers adopted their system ; and, in the sequel, both plans were successful. 
The workmen were therefore necessitated to bestir themselves in support of their own interest. — 
Extract : — 

The committee, immediately upon their being elected, applied to the manufacturers above alluded to, to suspend the 
notice of abatement, to give them time for a display of their endeavours, to induce the non-complying manufacturer* 



* Several workmen have been found vile enough to violate the rack contract; but the workmen at large have regularly taken cognizance 
of the criminals ; some have been compelled to ask pardon in the newspapers, and others have been refused permission to work at the 
branch for a given time. 

8 O 



238 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



to adopt (he rack and reduce the rent, of whom Mr. Nunn is chief ; notwithstanding that he did himself propose one 
shilling a week, as the standard rent, to one of the above gentlemen, in May, 1809. Mr. Nunn was applied to last 
March, by two deputies from the workmen, to comply with the adoption of the rack, and the reduction of the rent ; 
and the. reason assigned by him for his non-compliance with their request was, that, as his own workmen did not 
complain, he had a right to suppose they were satisfied. The workmen of this gentleman were accordingly called 
together, when 128, out of 144, signed a petition to him, praying that he would comply with the above regulations, for 
the salvation of the trade, and for their own peace and comfort in their transactions with his warehouse; sines 
without the rack to regulate the length of pieces, the situation of a workman is deplorable indeed. This petition was 
taken to Loudon by two of Mr. Nunn's own workmen, and was backed by their arguments and their prayers; but 
without any other effect, than that of his admitting the principle of their arguments to be just, and turning a deaf ear 
to their prayers. 

No language of mine can do adequate justice to the characters of the regulating manufacturers; 
and, in J8il, Mr. Nunn yielded to the force of public opinion; and the rack has happily been 
applied to other species of lace work.* 

STATISTICAL 

ACCOUNT OF THE FRAMEWORK-KNITTING TRADE. 

The materials for this article were several years collecting,, with care and industry rarely 
surpassed, particularly by one ingenious and indefatigable individual, for the general use of the 
trade ; and, in 1812, they were brought into arrangement ; and to each city, town, and village, the 
particular number of frames therein contained was attached. In the more immediate framework- 
knitting districts, the frames were actually counted by persons going from house to house— for 
instance, Nottingham was found to contain 2600, Leicester from 1600 to 1700, Derby near 400, 
Ilkeston and Heanor 350 each, Hinckley 1500, Sheepshead 900, Radford, Old and New, 350, and 
Mansfield 400 ; but, on a subject of such difficulty in coming at correctness, it is judged improper 
to commit the credit of this work upon an arrangement so liable to quibble and dispute. The 
names of most of the towns and villages where frames are found, will be given in alphabetical order 
in their respective counties, with a summary number of the frames in each county ; and an 
interesting division of the trade into its several branches will be found in the sequel The state of 
the trade in foreign countries may be depended upon as bordering on correctness, particularly in 
France, Spain, and the Netherlands. On the statement respecting America the least dependence 
is to be placed, in consequence of the infant state of the trade in that extensive and rising Republic 
being subject to so many contingent fluctuations, stoppages, and migrations, which render accuracy 
in the obtainment of information almost impossible. 

NOTTINGHAM, j Arnold 5 Brinsley 

AND THE C O U N T Y. * Becston ? Bradmore 

Awsworth 5 Beggarlee \ Basford (Old and New) 

Annesley $ Bingham 5 Bulwell 

Attenborough * Bramcote i Blidworth 



* It was intended to enter into the particulars of the twist-net manufacture in this chapter; but, at the present tone, insurmountable 
obstacles have been cast in the way to an obtainment of the necessary information, which will be removed in a few months; therefore it 
has been judged the most adviseable to postpone the whole account to the appendix, rather than give it iu detached parts. 



ACCOUNT OF THE FRAME WORK-KNITTING TRADE. 



289 



Barton 
Burton Joice 
Balderton 

Calverton 

■ 
Cossall 

Caythorpe 

Carlton 

Cortlinstock 

Cotgrave 

Clifton 

Cropwell Bishop 

Chilwell 

Eastwood 

Epperstone 

Farnsneld 

Fanulon 

Gedling 

Gotham 

Gunthorpe 

Hucknall Torkard 

Huckiutll Dirty 

Ilickling 

IToveringham 

Kirkby Woodhouse- 

Kirkby 

Key worth 

Kimberley 

Lin by 

Lowdham 

Leake (East and West) 

Lambley 

Mansfield 

Mansfield Woodhouse 

Market Warsop 

Nottingham 

Newark 

Ncwthorpe 

Normanton 

Over Broughton 

Oxton 

Oxton Grange 

Pappltwick 

Radford (Old and New) 

Ruddington 

Ratclitf 

Snenton (Old and New) 

Stanton 

Sutton.in-Ashficld 



Skegby 

Shelford 

Selstoa 

Stapleford 

Southwell 

Sutton Bonington 

Thargarton 

Thrumpton 

Woollaton 

Wilford 

Widmerpool 

Willoughby 

Watnall 

AVoodborough 



Total 



9^85 



LEICESTER, 
AND THE COUNTY. 
Ash by-de-la-Z ouch 
Ansty 
Asfordby 
Astou Flenville 
Astley 
Ayleston 
Belgrave 
Birstall 
Bark by 

Barkby Thorpe 
Bagworth 
Belton 
Barrow 
Bottesford 
Blaby 

Biuntiugthorpe 
Broughton 
Barwell 
Burbage 
Cossington 
Courtsthorpc 
Cosby 

Coleorlon Moor 
Cadeby 
Castle Doningtoa 



Desford 

Diseworth 

Dalby-in-the-Woulds 

Dunton Basset 

Enderby 

Earl Shilton 

Frisby 

Froleswortb. 

Foston 

Glenfield 

Gaddesby 

Grooby 

Ilumberstone 

llathem 

Hether 

Ilemmington 

Hoton 

Hinckley 

Htiglescote 

Ibstock 

Kuighton 

Kegworth 

Kilby 

Long Whatton 

Leicester 

Loughborough 

Little Dulby 

Little Thorpe 

Lutterworth 

Market Bosworth 

Mountsorrel 

Melton Mowbray 

Markfield 

Nailstow 

Nether Brpughton 

Norborough 

Newton Linford 

Newbold Garden 

Osgathorpe 

Oadby 

Peckleton 

Quorndon 

Queneborough 

Ratby 

Ravenstone 

Reorsby 

Rothcby 

Snanniuston 



240 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Shecpshead 
Silcby 
Syston 
Sutton 

Seagrave 

Saxelby 

Stapleton 

Stoke Golding 

Shomford 

Stoney Stanton 

Stanton-under-Bardcn 

Sapcote 

Thurmaston 

Thorpe 

Thorpe Acre 

Thorpe Satchville 

Thrinkstonc 

Thurcastoa 

Thornton 

Whitwick 

Wimeswould 

Whetstone 

Walton. on-the-Woulds 

Wigston-two-Steeples 

Willoughby Waterless 

Woodhouse 

Woodhouse Eaves 



Total - 11183 



DERBY 
AND THE COUNTY. 

Ashburn 

Allestree 

Alfreton 

Ashover 

Ashford 

Breeston 

Bolsover 

Brampton 

Baslow 

Bakewell 

Bonsall 

Black well 

Belper 



Bel per Lane 

Bull Hill 

Brcadsall 

Chester (Little) 

Cocksbench 

Codnor 

Chaddesden 

Crich 

Cromford 

Calvcr 

Castleton 

Chesterfield 

Dale Abbey 

Draycote 

Darley Dale 

Den by 

Duffield 

Derby 

Eaton (Little) 

Frittesly 

Green Lane 

Grindleford Bridge 

Higham 

Heage 

Heanor 

Horseley 

Horseley Woodhouse 

Hoi brook 

Hadden 

Ilkeston 

Kirk Ireton 

Kilbourn 

Loscoe 

Litton 

Lewcote Gate 

Little Over 

Long Eaton 

Morton 

Marriott Moor 

Matlock 

Measham 

Melbourn 

Ockbrook 

Over Hadden 

Pentridge 

Pinxton 

Quorn 

Ripley 



Ridings 

Rowsley 

Risley 

Stanton 

Sinder-hill 

Spondon 

Smalley 

Sandiacre 

Stauton-by-Dale 

Swanwick 

Shirland 

Somercote 

Smisby 

Sawley 

Taddington 

Tideswell| 

Tibshelf 

Toad. hole 

Wandsley 

Wingfield South 

Wessington 

Wirksworth 



Total 



4700 



GLOUCESTER, 
AND THE COUNTY. 
Bredon 
Bristol 

Cheltenham 

Cirencester 

Deerhurst 

Dursley 

Gloucester 

Leigh 

Northleach 

Northstoke 

Peromerton 

Tewksbury 

Twining 

Thurley 

Winchcombe 

Woodchesfer 






Total 



970 



. 



ACCOUNT OF THE FKAMEWOKK-KNITTINCr TKADE. 



241 



CO UNTY of DE VON 

Barnstaple 
Exeter 
Plymouth Dock 



Total 



38 



COUNTIES of WILTS, 
SURRY and BERKS. 

Croydon 

Crompton 

Farncomb 

Godalming 

Salisbury 

Wanborough 

Windsor 



Total 



130 



COUNTIES of MIDDLE- 
SEX, ESSEX, and KENT 

Canterbury 

Colchester 

Dover 

Deptford 

Faversham 

Greenwich 

London 



Total 



137 



COUNTIES of OXFORD, 
and NORTHAMPTON. 

Althorpe 

Banbury (Oxon) 

Chacomb 

Daventry 

Flewer 

Meadford 

Middletoncheyney 



Pattashall 
Slapston 
Shatford 

Northaston (Oxon) 
Towcester 



Total 



- 214 



COUNTY of NORFOLK. 

Norwich 
Thetford 



Total . 



YORK, 
AND THE COUNTY. 

Attercliffe 

Barnsley 

Beverley 

Bradford 

Doncaster 

Dobcross 

East Moor* 

Gisborough 

Halifax 

Huddersfield 

Hull 

Leeds 

Leadgato 

Newton 

Ripon 

Rotherham 

Sheffield 

Saddleworth 

Wakefield 

York 

Yarm 



23 



Total 



- 172 



LANCASTER, 
AND THE COUNTY, 

Blackburn 

Chorley 

Lancaster 

Liverpool 

Manchester 

Preston 

Rochdale 



Total 



- 75 



WORCESTER, 
AND THE COUNTY. 

Bromsgrove 

Evesham 

Kidderminster 

Pershore 

Upton 

Worcester 

Total -. 4S 

CHESHIRE and CAR- 
NARVONSHIRE. 

Aberconway 
Chester 
Macclesfield 
Stockport 



Total 



17 



COUNTIES of STAF- 
FORD and SALOP. 

Birmingham 

Newcastle 

Stafford 

Shrewsbury 

Tutbury 

Uttoxeter 

Wolverhampton 



Total 



46 



* An ingenious person of the name of Clapham, residing in this village, discovered the mode of making lamb's wool yarn, about the 
year H99. 



3P 



242 



IIISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



CUMBERLAND, NOB- 

THUMBEBLAjYD, and 

WESTMOBELAND. 

Alnwick 

Berwick 

Carlisle 

Cockcrmouth 

Kendal 

Newcastle 

Wigton 

Wooler 



Total - - 

LINCOLN, 
AND THE COUNTY. 

Boston 

Grimsby 

Horncastle 

Keel by 

Lincoln 

Loceby 

Marton 



50 



Total 



- 17 



WABXVICK, 
AND THE COUNTY. 
Bed worth 
Coventry 
Kineton 
Nuneaton 
"Warwick 



Total 



50 



SCOTLAND. 

Aberdeen 
Air 

Airdray 
Airbrooth 



Bamff 

Bathgate 

Biggar 

Cupar 

Coupar 

Coldstream 

Dunse 

Dunholme 

Dundee 

Dumfries 

Edinburgh 

Falkirk 

Glasgow 

Galashiels 

Hawick 

Haddington 

Hamilton 

Irving 

Jedburgh 

Kelso 

Kincardine 

Killardy 

Lanark 

Linlithgow 

Moffatt 

Mussellburgh 

Montrose 

Peebles 

Poisby 

Perth 

Renfrew 

Selkirk 

Stanrawen 

Stirling 



Total 



- 1449 



IRELAND. 



Armagh 
Athmailey 
Athlone 
Ballynasloe 



Bandon 

Belfast 

Balbriggcn 

Bulruddering 

Cullon 

Clownis 

Couthil 

Coleraine 

Carvon 

Cork 

Clonmell 

Carlow 

DUBLIN 

Drogheda 

Dungannon 

Donaghadea 

Galway 

Inniskillen 

Lurgan 

Londonderry 

Longford 

Lisburne 

Limerick 

Monaghan 

Ncwry 

Newton Stewart 

Omagh 

Rathcoal 

Strabane 

Sligo 

Tanderagee 



Total 



97S 



FRANCE.* 



Amiens 

Abbeville 

Arras 

Besancon 

Castres 

Chartres 

Clermont 



* The notion so generally entertained of there being many thousands of frames in Lyons is erronous; there being only about 1800, in 
that city, and about 1 100 in Paris and its vicinity. 



ACCOUNT OF THE- FRAME WORK-KNITTING- TRADE. 



243 



Dijon 






§ SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. 


§ GERMANY. 

| Berlin 

5 




Havre de Graca 




^ Barcelona 
& Cordova 
§ Cadiz 
| Coimbra (P.) 
| Lisbon (P.) 
§ Madrid 








Lisle 










§ Dresden 




Lyons 
Morieul 










§ Koningsberg 
| Leipzic 




Montdidicr 










& Magdeburg 




Nismes 










§ Wirtemburgh 

§ 

§ Total - . 




Orleans 






§ Oporto (P.) 
c Seville 






2340 


PARIS 










§ 




Passy 






§ St. Iloque 






§ 




Rouen 
Rheims 






§ Talavpra. de-la 


-Reyna 




§ 








| Valencia 




§ 
§ 




St. Quentin 






Total - - 


J955 


§ PETERSBURG!!, &c. 


- 200 


St. Omers 






§ 






§ STOCKHOLM - - - 


- 30 


Strashur^h. 






§ 






| COPENHAGEN - . 


- . 3i 


Troyes 






§ : 


ITALY. 




§ 




Valenciennes 






| Bologna 
s Leghorn 






& 




§ 






Total - - 6855 














§ Mantua 






§ AMERICA. 










§ Messina 
| Milan 
§ Naples 






| Essex Town 
e German Town 
§ New York 










NETHERLANDS. 






- 




Arcndok (near Antwerp) 




§ Palermo 






§ Princes' Town 

! St. Martha's Vineyard 

1 Total . 




Brussells 






; Rome 

§ - rp * 

& lunn 
§ ' Venice 








Ghent 


j 




" 








. 




. 




- 269 


Tournay 


















§- 


- 


. 


■ h 






Total - -.. 


520 


§- ■ - 


. Total -. 


- -985 


■ h - 










GRAND TOTAL. 








Great Britai 


n an 


d Ireland - - 


- - - . - 


- 


- 29588 






France 


- ■ 


_ . . - _ - . 


■ - . •■ 


- - 


- - " - - - 6855 






Netherlands 


- - 


. - .— 


- - - - 


- - 


- - " - - . 520 






Spain and_P 


ortu 


gal 


- - - - - 


- - - 


•---' . 1955 






Italy - 


- ., 


. - . 


> - 


- - 


- - - . ' - • 985 






Germany- 


. .. 





- - . 


- 


- 2340 






Petersburg, 


Stockholm, and Copenh 


agen - - - 


- 


- - - 265 






America 


- - 


" ■ 


- - - - 


- " - 


260 





42768 

To the foregoing table the following subdivision of the framework -knitting 1 trade into its 
manifold and diversifying -branches- will, "it is-hoped, be highly gratifying to those readers that are 
least acquainted with the trade of Nottingham ; and to those that are acquainted with it, it cannot 
fail to be entertaining. But to guard all persons against being led astray by it, in their connective 
concerns and immediate calculations^, it is necessary to state, that these branches or divisions are 
ever on the fluctuation, and frequently too. to an amazing extent. It is necessary to state further, 



244 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



that the calculations were made in 1812, from information collected by persons who took an actual 
survey of the trade, or from persons that had incidentally resided in the various places where it 
is carried on in the British empire, the relative divisions of the foreign part of the trade not here 
being taken into the account. But, notwithstanding- every possible attention was paid to come at 
the truth, this table is not professed to be correct, because correctness on such occasions is not 
attainable, even by government itself. The table will be found of the most use in ten, twenty, or 
fifty years to come, when some of the branches may be extinct, or nearly so, and when the inquiring 
mind will find some satisfaction by comparative investigation. The number given to each branch, 
is what were supposed as therein employed. 



SUBDIVISIONS. 

Plain cotton hose, from 14 to 22 gauge ....... 1600' 

Plain cotton hose, from 24 to 28 gauge ....... 2600J 

Plain cotton hose, from 30 to 36 gauge ....... 2289^ 

Plain Gotton hose, from 38 to 54 gauge ....... 1100^ 

Gause cotton hose - -- 

Plain cotton pieces __...__..-« 

Plain cotton gloves ........... 

Drawers and pantaloons ._...----- 

Sandals, gaiters, &c. - ... 

Socks (ancles and feet) .--.------- 

Angola and Merino hose .....----- 

Plain worsted hose, from 12 to 20 gauge ... - . - - - 2600") 

Plain worsted hose, from 22 to 26 gauge ....... 2100 V 

Plain worsted hose, from 28 to 34 gauge ....... 950 J 

Gauze worsted hose - - - -•» 

Lambs' wool hose _.....----- 

Thread hose* __...-..---- 

Plain worsted and double-loop piecest .... . . - 

Cotton caps - - - - - ._..- ... 

Worsted caps - - -- .... - - ... 

Petticoats, shirts, &c. - - - - -- 

Fleecy _-_....«----- 

Plain silk hose, from 23 to 26 gauge ........ 1150* 

Plain silk hose, from 28 to 36 gauge . -- - - - - - 250) 

Silk gloves . . . - .... 

Silk purses and pieces ...-------- 

Silk ribbed hose ._.---»-•-- 

Cotton ribbed hose «...------- 

Worsted ribbed hose ._..-.--»»- 



7589 

350 
250 
350 
530 
370 
180 
350 

5650 

250 
900 
350 
1500 
200 
120 
300 
110 

1400 

320 
20 

56 

750 

2750 



* It should be stated, that these frames are principally employed in Scotland 

f This double-loop work must not be mistaken for the double-lap warp work, it being a very different thing. This is produced upon a 
plain frame, by the simple operation of pressing two courses over the needle-heads at once — every second course being left in as 
«Dpressed state at the needle-heads while the jacks are drawn for the next. Thus a double-loop work is produced. 






ACCOUNT OF THE FRAMEWORK-KNITTING TRADE. 245 

<$ ■ iniii i ■» 

Ribbed (common) pieces ----------- 600 

British ribbed pieces* ----------- 1800 

Silk spider and shammies ----------- 70 

Cotton spider hose and pieces ---------- 340 

Silk knotted hose ---------_.- 260 

Elastic hose ------------- 30 

Square-net --.-------.._ 3 

Double-lap warp pieces ----------- 320 

Jack warp pieces + ------- -..- to 30 

Warp sashes and braces ----------- 60 

Warp net, from six to eight course inclusive, and mechlin - 190"} 

Two course ------------- 35 \_ ^0 

Silk 15^ 

Point-net double silk --------*-. 700") 

Single silk - - - - - - - - - - - - - 320 V 1040 

Single and double press cotton - - - - - - - -- 20 J 

Twist.net 140 

Total in Great Britain and Ireland - - - 29588 

There is an old proverb which says. "The little smith of Nottingham that does the work which 
no man can do." The etymon of which has been attempted to be discovered by various ways . 
but its origin is now of no importance. Suffice it to say, that no proverb was ever supported 
better, if we refer to the smiths of this town in general, but particularly if we refer to the 
framesmiths ; for to their mechanical judgment and dexterity in workmanship, it is owing, in a 
great degree, that the stocking frame and the various machines which are appended to it, have 
been brought to such perfection. J 

The setters-up too merit no small share of praise for their inventive skill, and their nicety in 
adjustment. The declension of the various branches of the trade, within the last few years, has 
driven many of these practical mechanics from this town, and to other businesses ; and not a fevr 
have sought refuge in America. 

COTTON YARM 

The name of Nottingham will ever be coupled with the invention of manufacturing this article 
with the greatest pride, as will shortly appear, though the business has not been prosecuted here to 



* Under this head are comprehended those frames emploved in making ribbed pieces, which double the ordinary stoutness in their 
manufacturing ope rations, by doubling the loops on the machine in pressing only every other course. Some Germanized Englishman 
pave to these pieces the name of German-rils, when attempts were made to barbarize English manners by the introduction of the German 
■ ry costume, in the same manner as the native tenlerBess v.as sought to be extracted from the bosoms of our ladies, ami bloody notions 
jnfused therein, by decorating their heads with Suwarrovo bonnets, in commemoration of that savage monster's deeds — Britain must not thus 
fce robbed of her fame ! ! 

•f- These articles are so called from the warp machine being applied to a plain frame — the jacks make the common loops, and the 
machine l rk upon the n' edle-hearls ; and thus double work is produced, with an imitation of ribs. 

% In 1307, there were 47 master frame-smiths (the highest number ever known) many of whom had large establishments of journeymen 
and apprentices— in 1615, there were but 29, and these generally with small establishment?. 

3 Q 



246 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



any thing- like the extent which it has been at Manchester and various other parts of Lancashire, 
as well as in Derbyshire. And, as many persons may read this history that are strangers to the 
great importance of which cotton wool is to this country, a few words on the subject of its 
production may not be unacceptable to them, and may not be considered obtrusive by those who 
possess more general information 

In China, Abyssinia, and the East Indies, cotton wool is produced from an annual shrub, about 
the size of a currant bush, called gossypium, and which unfolds the cotton from a pod about the 
size of a common hazle nut ; though in the latter country the arboreum or cotton tree is well known ; 
and it is now cultivated in America and the West Indies to great advantage. The pod of this tree, 
which grows to the size of a hen's egg, informs the cultivator of the proper time of plucking by 
the bursting of the shell ; and after it is gathered, and the wool is separated from the husk, in a 
mill calculated for that purpose, the wool is put into bags which contain from 300 to 320 pounds 
weight, and is trodden down in the same manner as hops are when bagged in this country. — The 
best cotton wool in general use is brought from Tobago in the West Indies, Demerara, in the 
province of Surinam, and the Brazils. - There is a species of cotton wool produced in the West 
Indies, principally as an article of curiosity, called Siam cotton, from the seed having been brought 
from the country of that name ; but the filaments are so exceedingly fine and soft, as to make 
articles manufactured of it more costly than silk. 

The method of spinning cotton yarn, previous to the invention of Jennies, was by plying at a 
domestic machine, well known among the provincial housewives by the name of a long or one- 
thread wheel. But; as the demand for our cotton goods increased, the ingenuity of our countrymen 
was set to work to devise means for expediting the various processes in the manufacturing of such 
goods. About the year 1737, a person of the name of Paul, in London, contrived an engine, with 
which he fancied he could spin a number of threads at one time, and for which he obtained a 
patent; but the scheme proved altogether abortive. Various other persons made similar attempts, 
and with like success, till James Hargrave, a weaver in the neighbourhood of Blackburn, in 
Lancashire, contrived a machine, in the year 1767, which he called a jenny, and upon which he 
spun eight threads at once. Mr. Hargrave .obtained a patent for this machine, and he caused a 
building to be erected at the north-east corner of a street in Nottingham, which from that 
circumstance obtained the name of Mill-street, wherein his machinery was first set to work in a 
proper manner. The jenny is the best contrivance hitherto discovered for spinning the yarn used 
in the woof; and it was soon constructed for spinning 84 threads; and with it one person can 
spin 100 hanks in the day, each hank measuring 840 yards. 

Mr. Hargrave also improved the art of carding cotton wool, by affixing two or three cards to a 
stock or stool, with which one woman could do as much work as three by the ordinary means of 
carding on the knee — these cards obtained the name of stock-cards. A still more expeditious mode 
of carding was shortly after invented, in the application of cylindric-cards ; but the inventor's 
name seems to be forgotten, except the matter could be traced to the unfortunate John Hayse, of 
whom we are about to say a few words. And, as what I shall state on the subject as connected 
with this man, will clash with what appears on the subject of cotton spinning in some of the 



COTTON YARN. 14T 



Encyclopedias and other publications, which give all the praise to the late Sir Richard Arkwright, 
it is necessary for me to premise, that I had the account from a person of credit, that was many 
years employed as a practical mechanic in the cotton spinning business in Lancashire, and who 
was personally acquainted with Hayse ; and further the testimony is supported by every person 
with whom I have conversed on the subject, that knew the parties at the time. 

John Ha3 ? se and Richard Arkwright, the former a turner, of wood, and the other a barber, 
resided as neighbours at Preston, in Lancashire, Arkwright, from the nature of his business, having 
much loose time on his hands, would frequently spend a few hours in Hayse's shop, and who, very 
probably, had a taste for mechanism himself. During these hours of conversation, Hayse informed 
Arkwright, that he felt confident he had discovered the art of spinning cotton by means of rollers, 
and shewed him the instruments he had made for accomplishing his object. Arkwright now began 
to think for himself, but, not having the means of applying his acquired knowledge to any 
prosperous purpose, he opened his views in part to a person of the name of Smalley who had some 
money, and who encouraged him, though quite unnecessarily to glean every particle of 
information on the subject from Hayse, without giving the latter any suspicion of their intention. 
Arkwright repeated his visits to the shop of his unsuspecting friend, and never failed, though 
frequently lightly and jocosely, to make the subject of cotton spinning the burden of their 
conversation. Hayse sometimes urged by motives of vanity to display his superior skili, and 
sometimes by irritation at being contradicted by Arkwright, frequently exhibited his little 
machinery, till the latter obtained a correct knowledge of its movements and application. He then 
obtained money from Smalley with which he proceeded to Nottingham, there being much cotton 
yarn consumed by the hosiery business in that town — there being man}/ capitalists for the 
encouragement of genius in mechanical invention ; and its being also known that Nottingham 
contained some excellent practical mechanics. Arkwright had also another object in view for 
coming to Nottingham — he was fearful lest Hayse should hear what he was about, and find a friend 
to push his previous claim at. the patent office. Our adventurer succeeded in all his views at 
Nottingham — from the ingenuity of one Hailam, a cabinet-maker, his machinery received much of 
its perfection ; and the moniec! men of the town found him the means of prosecuting the new 
inventions ; and in 1769, he obtained a patent in his own name for spinning cotton yarn according 
to the specifications which he had then produced. Mr. Arkwright now took up his regular 
residence in Nottingham, and he soon found the means of erecting a cotton mill, which he did on a 
piece of ground between Woolpack-lane and Hockley in this town, and which was the first cotton 
mill erected in the world.* In 1772, the validity of this patent was tried and found to be good. 
In 1775, Mr. Arkwright obtained another patent, which, from its being represented of a general 
nature, very probably comprehended the operations of carding and roving ; but its validity was 
tried in 1781, and a verdict was given against him. In 1785, Mr. Arkwright brought the question 
of this patent again into court, and gained a verdict in its favor ; but his opponents did not long 



* The mill was burnt down in a few years after it was built, and another "as erected upon the site 



248 II [STORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



suffer liim to enjoy its benefit in quiet, for they once more brought the matter into court, and 
he finally lost on the "round of his not working according- to his own specifications. 

On the 29th of June, 1791, the foundation was laid of Mr. Robert Denison's cotton mill, on a 
plot of ground between Pennyfoot-lane and Poplar-place; and on the 10th of October, 1792, the 
machinery was set to work. It contained 3024 spindles, and gave employment to 300 persons ; 
and was altogether the most handsome and largest manufactory ever erected in Nottingham. The 
war carried on against the French Republic caused this great concern to be shut up from the 8th 
of March, 1794, to the 2d of June, 1801, when it was re-opened by Messrs. Oates, Stephens, and 
Co. and during the night of the 28th of November, 1802, it was discovered to be on fire, and such 
was the fury of the flames, that the utmost exertions of an anxious and sympathising population 
that crowded around, aided by engines, were unavailing ; and the entire machinery with the greater 
part of the shell were consumed by the devouring element. And the ground on which it stood was" 
afterwards cleared and converted into gardens. A fine engraving was made from a drawing of 
Mr. Barber's which exhibits the terrific grandeur of the awful scene. 

George Oldfield Needham, a native of, and now a resident in Nottingham, by dint of a strong 
mechanical genius and from information obtained by. being many years employed in cotton mills, 
in 1813, brought to perfection several machines for improving and simplifying the arts of carding, 
roving, and spinning cotton wool. He offered his machinery to some of the great cotton 
manufacturers in Lancashire ; but they scouted it, on the ground of their present machinery being- 
rendered useless, if they adopted Mr. Needham's, and the great expense which must be occasioned 
by the change. He then applied to the Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and 
Commerce in London ; and the following- recommendation will shew the manner in which he was 
received. 

London, 23d February, 1815. 
To the Eight Honorable Lord Sidmoulh, Secretary of State for the Home Department. 

We the undersigned members of the committee of mechanics, of the society for the encouragement of Arts, 
Manufactures, and Commerce, earnestly recommend to your Lordship's notice, the cotton carding and spinning 
machines, invented by Mr. Needham, which have undergone a minute and laborous examination by the undersigned, 
who have brought under their view the various machines now employed in this important branch of British manufactures. 
By their examination tiiey have ascertained that Mr. Needham's machines are not only highly ingenious and simple, 
but decidedly superior to any of the kind now in use, and promise to be ofgreat public utility in the manufacturing of 
cotton. The very limited funds of this society, together with its established regulations for rewarding of meritorious 
inventions, could only procure for Mr. Needham a pecuniary vote of forty guineas and the honorary gold medal. — 
These rewards, although small in their amount, mark in the highest degree the opinion of the undersigned, and the 
general body of the society on the subject of Mr. Needham's inventions. The undersigned have been induced to make 
this application to your Lordship in behalf of Mr. Needham, not only because he is in very reduced circumstances, 
occasioned by his exertions in bringing his machines to perfection ; but because they feel it to be their duty to express 
the distinguished sense in which they hold his inventions, and to recommend to your Lordship to procure him the 
countenance and reward of government, commensurate with the importance of his inventions for the manufacture of all 
denominations of cotton. 

This application was signed by Thomas Gill, chairman of the committee, residing at No. 83, 
St, James's-street, London, and by twenty-six others, many of whom added their professions, such 



WORSTED MILLS. 249 



as mechanist and engineer, mathematical instrument-maker, mechanical draughtsman, &c. And on 
the subject being laid before the Lords of Council forming the Board of Trade, one hundred pounds 

was presented to Mr. Needham, as a temporary relief. Notwithstanding the application says, 

that Mr. Needham received only forty guineas from the society, we find the two following items in 
the statement printed by the society on the 30th May, 1815, in which the rewards are all named 
and numbered : — " 57. To Mr. George O. Needham, Bishop's-row, Nottingham, for improved 

" carding and spinning machinery, the gold medal, and forty guineas. 58. To Mr. George O. 

" Needham, of Nottingham, for an improved roving machine, twenty guineas.'' 

There is another gentleman that has added much to the mechanical fame of Nottingham, in the 
manufacture of cotton yarn, or twist, and also much to the credit, as well as to the interest 
of the kingdom, by rendering it independent of foreign nations for the thread of which bone- 
lace is made, an article which used lo be imported from Flanders. Mr. Samuel Cariledge, 
a native and constant resident of this town, by applying his genius to mechanical pursuits, in 1805, 
brought to perfection the spinning of cotton yarn sufficiently fine, and possessing a sufficient 
degree of twist, of which to manufacture bone or bobbin-lace. But, before he could get it 
properly introduced into the trade, he had to contend with the long established prejudices of 
Buckinghamshire, &c. and with the interest of the importers of and dealers in Flanders thread, 
which was invariably made of flax. In one instance he sold a quantity to a Buckinghamshire 
manufacturer, without the latter knowing it was made of cotton, and, though he highly admired the 
lace produced from it, when he afterwards learnt the nature of its composition, he condemned it 
altogether, and gave all his interest against its sale. Mr. Cartledge, however, much to his credit, 
persevered ; and the following resolution, unanimously passed at a general meeting of the 
Buckinghamshire lace- manufacturers, held at the Swan inn, Newport-Pagnell, the 20th of 
February, 1815, will prove the sense in which they now hold Mr. Cartledge's merits, though he 
has many competitors to contend with in the business.* 

" Resolved. That it is the opinion of this meeting, that Mr. Samuel Cartledge, of Nottingham, 
f is entitled to the thanks of the lace-manufacturers for his invention of cotton thread, used in 
" the manufacture of British lace ; and for his introduction of the same to the trade on liberal 
" terms. And that the chairman do communicate this resolution to Mr. Cartledae " 

Upon a very moderate calculation it is presumed, that Mr. Cartledge's invention has added thirty 
thousand pounds annually to the productive labour of the country. 



WORSTED MILLS. 

In the year 1788, Mr. Robert Davison and Mr. John Hawksley erected a worsted mill in this 
town, on the north bank of the Leen, where -now stands Navigation-row. It was burnt down in 
1791 ; and shortly afterwards these gentlemen erected another mill, on a very extensive scale, the 
works being driven by an engine of sixty-horse power. The site of its erection was on a plot of 



F Newport-Paznell may be considered in the same point of view with respect to the bone-lace, as Nottingham is in the frainewoifc- 
fcnttting business, 

3 R 



250 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ground, contiguous to the east side of the road leading into Arnold from Nottingham, and which, 
in the old writings belonging to the estate, is called Arnot Hill. The death of Mr. Davison, and 
some heavy losses in 1809, added to the already incumbered state of the concern, caused the final 
stoppage of this manufactory, the materials of which, to the very foundation, were sold and taken 
away ; and, on the 5th of February, 1810, Mr. Hawksley laid the foundation of another mill, which 
required an engine of twenty-horse power, in Butcher's-close, Nottingham ; and he left the 
delightful habitation at Arnot Hill, surrounded with plantations, gardens, and hot-houses, and 
removed with his family to Sneuton. On the 8th of October following, the mill in Butcher's-close 
was set to work ; and, for a time, it was thought that the concern would enable Mr. Hawksley to 
rise above the pecuniary difficulties which bore heavy upon him ; but in this expectation his friends 
were disappointed ; for his difficulties increased — he died suddenly in January, 1815 — the mill was 
stopt ; and, in the succeeding November, the works were sold by public auction for the benefit of 
the creditors.* 

In 1809, the works belonging to Arkwright's cotton mill in Hockley were sold ; and in two 
years after it was converted into a worsted mill, with an engine of fourteen-horse power, by the 
firm of Cole, Huddlestone, and Pliipps. 

SILK. 

This article is certainly of very great importance to Nottingham, and as such it might be expected 
that I should enter into its natural history ; but, as that subject has been so often and so ably 
handled by various writers, I shall confine myself to the giving a few dates when this admirable 
production was introduced from one country to another. 

We find silk first mentioned as the production of China, whence it was introduced into Persia 
at a very early period ; and from Persia it was brought into Greece, about 320 years before the 
birth of Christ. It seems to have been little known in Rome till the time of Heliogabalus, who died 
in the year 220, as that emperor was the first person that wore a robe made entirely of silk, which 
robe was then called Holoserica. Silk was exchanged for its weight in gold in the reign of 
Aurelian, who died in 275, as appears from the answer of that emperor to his wife when she asked 
permission to wear a silken robe, which favor he refused by saying, " that he was far from valuing 
"thread and gold at the same price. ''f In 555, some monks brought a quantity of silk- worm's eggs 
from India to Constantinople, where raw silk was soon produced in abundance, which, for a 
considerable time, was manufactured into garments at Athens, Corinth, and other Grecian cities. 
In 780, Charlemagne sent two silken vests as a present to Offa, king of Mercia, which appears to 
have been the first time that silk was seen in England. In 1130, Roger, king of Sicily, introduced 



* The Rev. Edmund Cartwright obtained the following patents for combing cheeps' wool, viz. one on the 3d of August, 1789, one on the 
11th of December, 1790, one on the I5th of May, 1792, and one on the 4th of July, 1797; and Mr. Hawksley obtained one for the same 
purpose on the 8th of June, 1793. Mr. Hawksley assigned the right of his patent to Mr. Cartwright for a fourth share of the profits of the 
whole ; and, on (he 1t\ of July, 1801, the latter gentleman obtained an act of parliament for extending his right to the above patents, 
consolidated and improved, for fourteen years longer, Mr Hawksley still reserving his share as before. 

■f See Manners and Customs of the Romans. 






SILK PIN AND WIRE-DRAWING. 251 



silk-worms, and silk-manufacturers also into his dominions from Greece, and settled them at 
Palermo ; whence the arts of producing- and manufacturing the silk soon found their way inlo 
Italy and Prance. Silk mantles were first worn in England by some ladies at a ball, held at 
Kennelworth castle in Warwickshire, in 1286 ; and silk was first manufactured in this country in 
1504, but it was not brought to any thing like perfection till 1620. James the First and Second 
expended great sums of money in attempting to propagate the silk-worm ; but the atmosphere of 
our climate was found to be too changeable to admit of so great a national advantage. About the 
year 1716, Mr. John Lombe brought the plan of an organzine silk mill from Italy at the risk of 
his life ; and in 1718, he obtained a patent for the organzining of raw silk, and about the same 
time he erected a mill for this purpose at Derby. He afterwards petitioned parliament for a 
renewal of his patent, on the ground of his not having obtained a sufficient remuneration for his 
imminent risk for his country's benefit and the great expenses he had been at ; but this was 
refused, and, as a compensation parliament voted him £14,000, and his brother Thomas received 
the honor of knighthood, as a partner in the concern. 

There have been various silk mills erected in Nottingham, viz. Elliott's, in Sheep-lane, Bolton's, 
on the Low-pavement, Watson and Nelson's, in Fletcher-gate, &c. but the only one now of any 
importance is that belonging to John Fellows, Esq. in Turncalf-alley, and in which 2800 swifts 
are employed. 

The silk of which Nottingham lace is made, is brought in an organzined state from Italy ; 
while that of which stockings are made is principally brought from China and the East Indies; the 
latter, from its size and softness, being the best calculated for stockings, while, for the same 
properties, it is not calculated for lace The silk of which black stockings are generally made is 
known among the workmen by the name of Novi : hence many of them conclude it to be Italian 
silk — the mistake arises from its beins: reeled after the Novi manner. 

PIJY AND WIRE-DRAWIJYG MANUFACTORY, $>c/ 

Mr. Henry Redgate carries on an extensive concern of this sort in Hounds'-gate, the wire- 
drawing business being carried on by his father ; to which, in 1807, he added that of pin-making, 
and he erected an engine of six-horse power to drive his works. He also pursues the business of 
wire-weaving and wire fender making, to a considerable extent ; as likewise does Mr. Samuel 
Wood, at the Leen-side ; though the latter gentleman has all his work done by the hand. 



Formerly there were two glasshouses in this town ; one at the east end of Snenton-street, of 
very large dimensions, and one between Charlotte-street and York-street, near the end of 
Glasshouse-lane; but within about the last fifty years they have both disappeared, nor has glass 
ware of any consequence been made in them during that time. There were likewise two potteries 
within the last thirty years, one on the east side of Milton-street, and the other near the bottom of 
Beck-lane. But the clay was principally brought from a considerable distance, which added so 
much to the cost of the pots, as to prevent the proprietors maintaining a competition with the 
Staffordshire dealers. 



252 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

■— — ■ i ■ i ii ■ i ii i i in i ■ i i i m i ii— wf/f 

BAJYKS. 

The bank of Samuel Smith, Esq. and Co. was in being- in 1702, and John Smith, Esq. 
the patron of this history, informs me, that the family have reason to believe, that it was established 
in 1700, though the precise date was not to be found. The bank of John and Ichabod Wright, 
Esqrs. and Co. was established in 1759.* The bank of Moore, Maltby, Evans, and Middlemore, 
was established in 1802.f The bank of Fellows, Mellor, and Hart, was established on the 1st of 
January, 1808 ; and that of Rawson, Inkersole, Rawson, and Co. on the 10th of November in the 
same year. 



As to physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, and solicitors, their numbers will always be regulated 
by the population, the misfortunes, the follies, and the vices of mankind. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 



This town is governed, in its civil department, by seven aldermen, one of whom is annually 
chosen mayor, twenty-four councilmen, a recorder, who holds the office during life, two sheriffs, 
two chamberlains, and two coroners ; all of whom, as a matter of course, must be burgesses of the 
town. But, before we speak of the power of these constituted authorities, we will drop a few 
words on the origin of a burgess, and on the town's prescriptive and chartered rights. 

Camden calls Nottingham a city, which Deering supposes he does from its having been a walled 
town. Deering is here mistaken ; for it was a city, in the English sense of the word, in Camden's 
time, in consequence of its then having a suffragan bishop, the office of which was last filled by 
Richard Barnes, who was consecrated in 1558. Nottingham with 25 other towns, was created a 
bishopric in 1534, all of which have ceased to be so; but when Nottingham lost that distinctive 
appellation, it resumed its ancient title of borough, which it holds by prescription, that is, 
antecedently to the existence of its charters. § 



* The mansion of John Wright, Esq. at T.enton, was erected in 1804. 

f Tbis 6rm was dissolved at the close of 1815, in consequence of the death of three of the partners ; and on the 1st of Ja nuary, \H\6, the 
banking husiness was proceeded in, under the firm of Moore, Maltby, and Robinson ; the present Moore being son of the former. 

^ Biackstone, however, asserts, that a town's once having been a bishopric gives it the right to continue the title of city ever after, as a 
proof of which he names Westminster. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 2*53 



Borough springs from the Saxon Borhoe, or Bond, which arose from a number of families 
uniting in a bond of mutual protection, and living in a congregated body ; and the spot which they 
inhabited, whether they were migrative or stationary, was called Borhoe, or Borough, as our 
orthographers have long since rendered it. When the Saxons invaded this country they naturally 
imported their language and manners — hence the word borough took its rise in England ; and 
every adult male that resided in a borough, vassals excepted, was a burgess ; i. e. a freeman of a 
borough. 

The abject effeminacy which came from the east, and insinuated itself, into the habits and 
manners of the Romans, very probably would have reduced the political state of Europe to the 
standard of Asiatic slavery, had not thousands fled into the wild and bleak regions of the north, 
where necessity made them brave, and where liberty became the dearer to them, from their having 
to defend it with their toil, their privations, and their lives. Though each of these hordes, or 
clans, was governed by its respective chief, his power, except in certain cases, was subordinate to 
the public will ; for, as plunder and reprisal formed the principal source of his revenue, soldiers 
became necessary to his support ; not to enable him to plunder his own people, for the moment a 
chief ceased to be the protector of his people they deposed or murdered him, and chose another; 
no, his soldiers were for the defence of his clan, and to enable him to levy contributions upon those 
that he chose to call his enemies. Then, as an inducement for his adherents to arm in his and 
their own defence, every one thus enrolled was called a freeman of the clan, and as such enjoyed 
certain privileges. Their masculine limbs being thus furnished with weapons, and their minds 
with notions of independence, they found the importance of their congregated strength, and 
therefore often imposed terms upon their chieftains; nor need we wonder that one of these terms 
generally was, that of being heard by themselves,, or through the medium of their representatives in 
the icittena- gemote or parliament, without the consent of tohich as Blackstone justly says, no new 
law could be made, or old one altered. The freemen had likewise the right of electing the 
subordinate magistrates, &c. which rights and customs they bouiKt themselves by oath at the altars 
of their deities to defend. Thus while the lordly Romans, the boasted civilizers of the world, 
were burying the noblest principles of the human mind in the sloth of Asiatic effeminacy, the 
hardy children of the north, that had fled to regions of frost and snow to avoid the conqueror's 
poisonous embrace, preserved the genuine spark of liberty from destruction, and carried it with 
them in their conquering excursions to foreign countries. And though the feudal system long 
smothered it, yet the extension of commerce, as has already been shewn, soon wafted it, in this 

country, again into a blaze. Our Saxon ancestors that settled in Nottingham would establish 

therein their own system of civil polity; and hence the origin of our prescriptive rights, which 
form the basis of the charters afterwards obtained. 

The charter of king John, which was dated at Clypston, the 19th of March, 1199, expressly 
declares, " If any person, in time of peace, whencesoever he comes, shall abide in this borough a 
" year and a day, without being claimed by his lord, no one shall afterwards have legal claim of 
" him, except the king himself." The first sight of this passage naturally impresses the mind with 
an idea, that Nottingham was privileged by royal charter to be " a city of refuge ;" a rallying 

3 S 



254: HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



TirjM.m.w'rinWTwr i 



point against the galling- manacles of slavery. May this honorable appellation long continue its 
due ! But has not the passage a meaning, as applicable to the local privileges of the town at the 
time the charter was granted ? — does it not imply, that every man that should reside a year and a 
day in the town, unclaimed by his former lord, whose service it presupposes he had quitted without 
permission, should be a freeman or burgess of the borough ? It certainly appears evident that 
this is the literal import and meaning of the passage ; though if we take the words freeman and 
slave, according to their present application, we shall not be borne out in the interpretation ; 
because all Britons are free, in the limited sense of the word, though few, comparatively speaking, 
are freemen by elective franchise ; but this was not the case when the charter in question was 
granted, as the feudal system then displayed the whole of its monstrous vigour, with distinctive 
appellations of freemen, socmen, villains, borderers, and slaves.* By a reference to the last note 
it may be seen, that every class in society were more or less in a state of vassalage, except the 
freemen, who alone were entitled to the distinction of citizen of a city, and burgess of a borough. 

And, as every species of subjection which depends upon caprice, for an extension of or a 
diminution of its severity, is diametrically opposed to freedom, the comparison certainly gives 
weight to the opinion, that every man, whatever his previous condition, who resided a year and a 
day in Nottingham, after the granting of the charter in question, without being claimed by his 
late master, became a burgess of the borough, and was thereby freed from all feudal subjection. 

When the declension of the feudal system in some degree, equalized the political state of the 
people, and they were permitted to settle where fancy or interest directed, the easy manner of 
becoming a burgess of this town, with its influence of general enfranchisement, would induce 
many to make it the place of their abode, particularly as the burgesses enjoyed certain immunities, 
which will shortly fall more directly under our notice. To prevent an extensive deterio ration of 
the burgess immunities, by so general an admission of participants, a plan would naturally suggest 
itself to those in power, of narrowing the means by which strangers became possessed of the 
freedom of the town ; and hence the following rules were adopted : — First, the eldest son of a 
burgess to have his freedom as his birthright, if born within the town; secondly, all the younger 
sons of a burgess, if born in the town, providing they have served a regular apprenticeship in any 
part of England ; thirdly, all those persons to have their freedom, that serve a legal apprenticeship 
to a burgess within the liberties of the town ; fourthly, those to whom the corporation chose to 



* Soc, from the Fiench, soc, a ploughshare, or service due from tenants to their lords. 

Socage, from soc, an ancient tenure hy which tenants, i. e. socmen, were obliged to cultivate the land of their lords —Dr. Ash. 
Villains. These were persons of servile condition, bound to perform unlimited services. Their landlords could deprive them at pleasure, 
of their lands, gosds, and chattels, and compel them to pay redemption money before they could give their daughters in marriage. 
N. B The copyholders of the present day are the remains of this class of subjects. 

BobdaR. borderer, or bordarii, from the French hardier. These were cottagers who supplied the lord of the manor with poultry and 

«"gs.— Rider's History of England. 

"slaves- These were people that occupied the lowest and most servile station in life: they, in fact, were slaves to other slaves, and were 

tranters to the native dignity of man. They were sold like cattle in the market, like Africa's sun-burnt hopeless tribes, " whom christians 

' buy aud sell." On them the scourging lash could be exercised with impunity to gratify the savage lust of revenge, or the silly vanity 

of superiority ; and, in the midst of Jheir sufferings, it was a crime to heave the heart-rending sigh. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 255 



sell the freedom ; and fifthly, those that have their freedom given to them by the corporation, as a 
mark of honor, or for services performed.* 

BURGESS OATH, AS TAKEN IN 1716. 

This hear ye — Mayor of this borough of Nottingham, recorder, sheriffs, and all other worshipful men, that I, A. B. 
shall be loyal and true to the king and to you, and to this town of Nottingham bear faith and truth, and to be 
obedient, and justifiable of my body and goods, and my chattels ; and to the officers and ministers of this town of 
Nottingham, and for the time of ministration of their offices, itiasmuch as in me lies, I shall be attending, helping, and 
supporting; and the counsel of the said town of Nottingham, I shall truly keep, and to no man shew it; and the 
franchises of the said town I shall maintain and sustain with my body, my goods, and my chattels, to the utmost of 
my power, and that not let, neither for love nor dread, without regard of any man, but that I shall maintain the laws 

and good customs and franchises abovesaid, and truly bear and do duties and customs that I ought to do So help 

me God. 

BURGESS OATH AS TAKEN AT THE PRESENT TIME. 

I, A. B. do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his majesty king George, and that I will be true 
and faithful to the mayor and burgesses of this town of Nottingham, and to my power maintain and defend the 
franchises, privileges, jurisdictions, and charters of this corporation, and perform, execute, and do all such duties, 
offices, and things, as I ought to do as a member of the same.— So help me God.f 

LAJYDS AND OTHER IMMUNITIES BELONGING TO 

THE BURGESSES. 

The general opinion of well informed people is, that the charter of Henry the Second, which is 
dated in 1154, was the first charter which was granted to Nottingham, because it is the oldest 
extant, and because what it professes to grant, or rather to confirm, it calls " free customs/' and 
admits their existence long before. This charter secured to the burgesses Tol, Theam, 
Ixfangentheof, and Theolonia. Tol, or Tholl, is a power to take, and a right to be free from 
toll. This, however, must be here taken in reference to the burgesses of this town only, as 
connected with this charter; as they are still exempt from paying toll for bringing their goods to, 
and taking them from our fairs and markets, which other people are bound to pay to the 



• Fees paid by burgesses on being admitted to their freedom, by birthright. £. s. d. 

Stamp duty ---------------- __100 

To the town clerk --------------._. 016 

For parchment containing the oath -------- ------.006 

To the mayor's sergeant ---.---_---____ -012 

To the common sergeant ------- -----___012 

To the churchwardens of St. Mary's towards keeping the church in repair - - - . .. 001 
To the briclgemasters towards keeping the Trent bridge in repair ------ - - 1 

To the mayoress --------------___006 

To the two pounders, the town cryer, and the keeper of the bouse of correction, 3d. each - - - 0)0 
To be spent by the new made burgess -- -------__. -006 

16 6 
By those entitled from servitude, the same, with the addition to the chamberlaius of 6s. 8d. - - - 1 13 2 

The honorary burgesses and those that obtain by purchase 40s. additional stamp duty - - - - 3 13 2 
f la ISC6, a clause was added expressive of the trade, calling, or occupation of the person sworn; and also by what means he obtained 
his right. 



256 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM, 



corporation.* Theam. The jurisdiction held by the lord of the manor in his court over the 
bondmen and villains within the boundaries of his manor. Infangentheof, or Infangthefe, is a 
phrase in the Saxon language which implies a privilege in the lord of the manor of passing- 
judgment upon any theft committed within his jurisdiction. It would really seem, from the then 
application of this ancient Saxon word, and the " free custom" incorporated by charter under its 
name, that the burgesses of Nottingham enjoyed the right of manor from the formation of the 
town into a Saxon borough, and that this right never was wholly abrogated, though the title of 
Lord of the Manor of Nottingham was enjoyed by various feudal lords. And, as a compromise 
between the burgesses on the one part, and William Peverel, their first feudal lord on the other, it 
is not unlikely that the latter, in consideration of reciprocal cessions, gave the burgesses the right 
of hunting and hawking on his forest manors; and hence the traditional opinion, that the burgesses 
of Nottingham had a right to hunt and hawke to the extent of the forest of Shirewopd. Theolonia 
implies a right enjoyed by certain persons to be free from particular tolls. This charter freed the 
burgesses of Nottingham from toll or rather secured to them the said right as one of their " free 
" customs," which might then have been disputed, from Thrumpton to Newark, and from all 
things passing over the Trent, from the brook beyond Rempston to the river at Retford and 
Vicker's Dyke This privilege was afterwards extended by king John to all the fairs and marts in 
the kingdom. f 

This charter of Henry the Third, which was signed at Westminster the 24th of February, 1229, 
granted to tbe burgesses the right of taking toll of all merchandize brought into the town : and 
likewise the right of choosing coroners from among themselves. The charter of Edward the First, 
bearing date at Lincoln the 11th of February, 1283, granted to the burgesses the right of electing 
a mayor and two bailiffs from among themselves, the chief magistrate having previously been 
called Reeve. By the charter of Henry the Fifth, which was signed at Leicester the 24th of 
May, 1414, the office of recorder was instituted ; the mayor and four others, whom he had the 
power conferred upon him of nominating, were constituted justices of the peace ; and the county 
magistrates were forbidden to interfere in the affairs of the town. The charter of Henry the 
Sixth not only confirmed the grants of foregoing charters, but it furnished the mayor and 

* Until 1 T9P, all grain brought to market was subject to a corporate toll; but in that year the question was contested in court, and the 
corporation lost the suit. 

-f- A Nottingham bursess, as I am informed, by having his oath with him, is still freed from all city, borough, or corpora'e tolls in the 
kingdom] except the borough of Beverley anil the town of Gainsborough, when going to or coming from fairs or market: how these two 
exceptions have crept in is not for me to say. We will here mention a circumstance of rather a singular nature, as connected with 
boroujh tolls : — The inhabitants of Ilkiston, in Derbyshire, pay only half toll for tollable articles which they carry to or from the boroughs 
of Nottingham and Derby, which immunity is guaranteed to them so long as they keep a gallows standing within the precincts of tbe 
village. The vulgar opinion is, that this privilege was granted to them by John of Gaunt, to whose memory a wooden figure is preserved 
in the chancel of that chBich, which represents a man of extraordinary size. But the more probable opinion is, that this privilege wag 
obtained in consequence of a circumstance thus related : — During the space of time when the assizes were he'd at Nottingham for the two 
counties, a contagious distemper is said to have induced the judge to cause the court of assize to be tv Id at Ilkiston, as being free from 
the distemper and as a point of medium between the two boroughs, at which time a man was condemned and executed at the village. And, 
jn commemoration of the event, it was ordered, that as long as the inhabitants thereof should keep a gallows standing they should enjoy 
the immunity above named. This circumstance miaht happen in the days of John of Gaunt, and he might interest himself in procuring 
the i.iH!ir; and thus tradition may have interwoven it with his name. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 237 



burgesses with a number of other privileges. It incorporated the town by the title of " Mayor 
" and Burgesses of the town of Nottingham/' and, from the 15th of September, 1449, separated 
it for ever from the body of the county, except the castle and its appendages, and the shire-hall 
and prison, with the additional title of " The county of the town of Nottingham/' The bailiffs 
were changed into sheriffs, and the mayor was constituted the king's escheator. But what makes 
this charter of more importance is, that it gave the burgesses the power of choosing seven aldermen 
out of their own body, (one of whom to be annually elected mayor) who may hold the office during 
life, except some notable cause be assigned to the contrary : they were also authorized to wear 
scarlet gowns, &c. after the manner of the aldermen of London.* 



It is a singular circumstance that no writer has yet attempted to prove how the burgesses of 
Nottingham became possessed of the land, which, at certain times of the year, they inherit as their 
own. But, without rambling among probabilities for the cause, which could only involve the 
character of the departed in suspicion, I will submit my humble efforts ; as the real cause of others' 
silence on the subject is alike indifferent to me and harmless to the interest of the burgesses — they 
possess the land, under certain regulations and restrictions, and nothing but a national convulsion, 
or their own imprudence, can wrest it from their hands. 

The only charter which mentions these lands, is that commonly called the restoring charter^ 
granted by William and Mary shortly after the revolution in 1688. The words which relate to 
this subject are as follows : — " And of our abundant grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, 
; ' we have given, granted, restored, confirmed and ratified, and by these presents, for ourselves, our 
<! heirs and successors, do grant, restore, confirm and ratify, to the mayor and burgesses of the town 
" of Nottingham and their successors, all manors, messuages, mills, revenues, lands, tenements, 
" tithes, meadows, grounds, pastures, common-rights, feasts, fairs, markets, together with all 
" powers, prescriptions, liberties, privileges, franchises, immunities, jurisdictions, charters, letters 
" patent of incorporation, customs, profits, offices, officers, exceptions, acquittances, unclaimed lands, 
" wastes, easements, emoluments, goods, chattels, and hereditaments, and all such things as by the 
(C letters patent of the said king James the First, bearing date 12th of February in the 20th of his 
'•' reign over England, France, and Ireland, and the 56th over Scotland, and all others kings and 
• f queens of England, our ancestors, to the said mayor and burgesses were given, granted, and 
••' confirmed." 

In this extract the reader will not find any mention made of nezo grants ; but simply a 
recapitulation of rights, immunities, and privileges long enjoyed, and which had been partly 
abrogated to suit political purposes in the infamous reign of Charles the Second. And the 
principal things named in this extract, have reference to the chamber estates, of which the burgesses, 
fti their individual burgess capacities, are nothing but nominal proprietors, and to the property of 



* In \ICi3, an act wa» passed which militatei much against the chartered rights of the town j but more of this in a preperer p!ai/e. 

3 T 



258 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



which the corporation are the guardians for the maintenance of the Free-school and the Trent 
bridges. No, we must seek elsewhere for the original tenure of the burgess lands. 

It is, I know, maintained by many, without any shew of authority or reason, that the burgess 
land was given by James the First. This, however, could not be the case, for James had no lands 
to give in this neighbourhood, except Shirwood Chase ; and from this description of land the 
property we are speaking of had been long separated. 

Others again are willing- to believe, as no charter extant mentions the original grant, that the 
supposed one of Henry the First contained this important bequest; and this too, merely because 
king John's charter confirms to the burgesses all the free customs their predecessors had enjoyed, 
in the reign of the First and Second Henry. This opinion is as vague as the one just noticed ; for 
the charter of Henry the Second expressly names the privileges and "free customs" it alludes to, 
the principal of which, had been held by prescription; and were now secured by charter, Besides, 
it is impossible that the land in question could be disposed of by Henry the First, since it was in 
the possession of the Peverels till the reign of Henry the Second. Camden says, tc William 
" Peverel, lord of Nottingham, had a son of the same name, who died during his father's life-time, 
" and he had likewise a son William deprived of his estates by Henry the Second, for combining 
" with the wife of Ranulph, Earl of Chester, who was youngest daughter of the Earl of Gloucester, 
" to poison the said Earl her husband." As an atonement for his crime, and to ward off the 
vengeance of the injured husband, the amorous and hypocritical Peverel put on the garb of a 
monk, and took shelter in Lenton Abbey. But the justice of the king shone most conspicuous on 
this occasion, for he deprived Peverel of his estates in this county, and gave them to the Earl of 
Chestei-j; but this ungrateful nobleman did not enjoy them long, for, joining the rebellion of young 
Henry (whom his over indulgent father had caused to be crowned as his successor,) he justly 
forfeited those wreaths of royal munificence, which compassion for his wrongs had bound on his 
brow. On this subject Dr. Thoroton speaks as follows : — " Howbeit the said Ranulph, Earl of 
" Chester did not enjoy any long possession of those places in this county, for the sheriffs answered 
"■' to the king for the profits of the lands of William Peverel, and the scutage of the tenants of fee, 
*' as in the pipe rolls of Henry the Second." 

From the time of this unnatural rebellion, till John, Earl of Morton, had the earldoms of 
Nottingham and Derby conferred upon him by Richard the First, the lands in question continued 
in the possession of the crown. And there can be little doubt that Richard behaved thus bountifully 
to his capricious brother, partly from affection, and partly to secure him to his interest while he 
went on his intended crusade to Palestine. And though the perfidious John sought to seize upon 
the crown in his brother's absence, and thereby lost the command of our castle for a time, yet 
Richard, as generous as brave, restored him to favor soon after his return. Thus it appears, that 
the lands we are speaking of were in the possession of John at the time of his elevation to the 
throne ; and from this and other circumstances we will endeavour to prove how they became the 
property of the burgesses. 

John's attachment to the people of Nottingham has been noticed already, in consequence of the 
aids he received from them in his attempts to obtain the crown. It has also been stated that he 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 259 



had granted to the town a merchant's guild. Now, as John owed so much to the people of 
Nottingham, and possessed such ample means of rewarding their fidelity when he came to the 
throne, can it be supposed that he would grant them a merchant's guild, and not furnish the body 
so constituted with the means of appearing respectable in their congregated capacity, as soon as he 
saw it right so to do ? The property which he possessed as Earl of Morton, Nottingham, and 
Derby, must have been immense, independently of the revenues of the crown ; consequently he- 
could well spare a part of it as a reward to his friends for past services ; and, to secure their fidelity 
in future, common policy too would dictate the measure, lest they should treat him as they, at his 
instigation, had treated his brother Richard, and lest they should remember him for the murder of 
his nephew Arthur. Hence it is fair to conclude that John gave the lands within the liberties of 
Nottingham, which had formerly belonged to the house of Peverel, to Hie merchants' <mild. The 
circumstance too of the title of Earl of Nottingham lying dormant more than a century after John's 
accession to the throne, gives material weight to this opinion ; for if the title had retained its 
appendages of wealth, it would not have lain so long without some favorite having obtained it as a 
grace to his dignity and fame. 

Against this hypothesis, however, two objections may be stated, namely, if John gave the land 
to the fraternity of merchants, how came the burgesses by it? and why not give it to them rather 
than to a few men forming a select body ? To which it might be hastily replied— if John gave 
the land to the burgesses, why is that important circumstance omitted to be named in the charter 
which he granted them ? Here is question opposed to question ; and perhaps a little argument on 
the subject will obviate the obstacles to their solution, 

John granted the charter which constituted the merchants' guild, and ensured to the burgesses 
at large the " free customs" and privileges they had previously enjoyed, in the first year of his 
reign ; therefore, when the precarious tenure on which he held the crown is considered, it is no 
wonder that he did not part with his personal estates till he saw which way the tide of affairs was 
likely to flow. Having cast the dye for the throne in murder and usurpation, he well knew, if he 
could not maintain it, he must pay the forfeiture of his crimes with his life ; in the event of which 
taking place he would conceive a possibility of his family inheriting his estates, providing he had not 
disposed of them himself. The same policy would direct him to be bountiful to his friends when the sun 
of prosperity beamed upon his brow. And if we considered that the burgesses had already been 
flattered as a body, and benefited a little, as individuals, by John ; that trading bodies were the most 
useful class in society in supporting the monarch against the barons ; and that it is the general 
policy of kings to be the most bountiful to those who have the greatest influence among the people, 
particularly if their names stand high on the list of their friends, we shall see at once, the reason 
why John would prefer giving the lands to the merchants' guild.* It now remains to be accounted 
for how the burgesses at large came by the estates. 

The encouragement given by several subsequent raonarchs to the incorporated merchants 
of this town, and their having officers of their own, and a hall (the time of that hall's being 



* These lands, in great likelihood, were granted to tbe Guild by a separate deed, winch may have been lost, or intentionally destroyed 
in some one of the political convulsions which have agitated this tewo. 



2()0 HISTOKY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

erected corresponds with (he institution of the guild) wherein to transact their business, would 
give thorn an importance in society superior to that possessed by their brother burgesses (there 
being' no doubt of the members of the guild being themselves burgesses) which would naturally 
induce them to seek for, and obtain every post of honor and emolument in the borough ; and their 
consequence would not be a little heightened by Henry the Fifth's forbidding the county magistrates 
to intermeddle with the government of the town. But when Henry the Sixth incorporated the 
town by a new and more honorable appellation ; when he gave the burgesses the privilege of 
electing seven aldermen out of their own body ; and authorized such aldermen to wear distinctive 
decorations, similar to those worn by the magistrates of London, the common burgesses would feel, 
and be proud of their own importance ; and in proportion as the members of the guild exhibited a 
desire to (ill these new offices, the body of burgesses would raise their own importance, with a view 
of making a profitable bargain for themselves — the one party having the power of conferring 
substantial benefits, and the other of conferring ti'usts of honor ; and both being desirou* of 
reccivinu; .'* 

Under these circumstances it is natural to conjecture that the wealthy tradesmen, who would also 
be the employers of the poor men, would address their fellow burgesses to the following effect : — 
'' Brother burgesses, new honors have just been conferred upon us by our gracious monarch, which. 
" we wish to. render of some essential benefit to those of our body on whom fortune has not shed her 
" favors of wealth. Give, therefore, to our company the power of choosing the aldermen (a power, 
" the exercise of which, if you retain in common with ourselves, it will not bring any real benefit 
" to your families) and you shall become partakers with us in the enjoyment of the lands which 
" belong to our company. We will allow you to turn a given number of cattle in, at proper times 
: of the year; by which means, along with your industry, you will be enabled to live both 
cc comfortably and respectably. We will also allot certain portions of land to you and your widows 
'•' after you, which shall be called burgess parts,j- and for which you shall only pay a small 
sc acknowledgment ; and you shall likewise have the privilege, not named in the charter, of 
" choosing the members of our council from among those that have served the office of chamberlain 
f - to our company/'^ 



* By referring to the article under the head " Population" it will be seen, that at this time the number of inhabitants in this town was 
\ eiy small, owing to the internal convulsions which had inundated the country with blood ; and the cause which had reduced the number 
would not fail to make the greater part of those relhaini-rig very poor; consequently there need be no surprise excited at those so 
circumstanced commuting their newly acquired privilege of choosing the aldermen by popular election for more substantial benefits with 
the rich. 

f The burgess parts upon the Bridge Estate, of course cnni.ot be here alluded to ; but it is very probable that the allotment of parts on 
this estate was in example of a previously adopted measure. 

J Deering, after recapitulating various charters down to' that pF-Jatnes the First, observes, " In all these charters nothing is added or 
" altered, (meaning the charter of Henry the Sixth) neither are the burgesses, by the charter of Henry the Sixth, nor any other before, 
" confined to any number of counsellors to represent them ; so thai the council of a select number of men lakes its original beginning from 
" the consent and choice of all the burgesses, for the better management of the ricanw of the corporation and dispatch of ordinary business." 
Thus Deering's opinion is fixed as to the election of councilmen being a bye'-law of the bedy, though he docs not attempt to yive an 
opinion as to the immediate occasion, or the time of its enactment, which fact, so clearly established, is a strong supporter of my hypothesis. 
The charter, however, of William and Mary, orders the choosing of eighteen councilnicn, as an acknowledged custom previous to the 
surrender of the charter in the reign of Charles the Second. 



Government of the town. 261 



The prospect of obtaining family comfort has such an effect on the human mind, that it is 
natural to suppose the poor burg-esses would chime in with a measure which held out such flattering 
prospects; in particular when it is considered that most of them would be obliging their immediate 
employers; and when it is considered also that, though they gave up the direct election of the 
aldermen, they would have the choice of those men, though from a contracted list, from whom the 
aldermen would be finally chosen. And thus the two bodies would become consolidated into one ; 
and as those businesses fell off which supported the members of the guild, the corporation of 
burgesses would enjoy what the corporation of merchants had enjoyed before; and the merchants' 
hall, became the hall of public justice and the depository of the burgesses' records, while it retained 
its name of guild. 

Various other reasons tend to prove most clearly, that the burgesses obtained their land by a 
compact with the merchants' guild. First, their paying rent for their burgess parts, which, from 
its disproportion in point of value, may be considered more as an acknowledgment ; but this they 
never would have agreed to had the land been a royal boon direct to themselves.* Secondly, if 
the burgesses had at any time possessed the entire property of these lands, they would not have 
permitted private individuals to have obtained a legal inheritance therein, without displaying a 
strong opposition to such an infringment of their rights ; a circumstance which we hear nothing 
of, either from record or tradition. And, as political bodies are generally pretty tenacious of their 
rights and privileges, if the burgesses of Nottingham had been so plundered of their land, as that 
nearly the wbole of it had fallen into private hands, with the exception of its being open at certain 
times of the year, the circumstance would have been handed down from father to son, as a legend 
sacred to their sufferings, and as a badge of disgrace upon the memory of those that had thus 
plundered them of their rights. Thirdly, the plot of ground called Mansel Park, as noticed when 
speaking of Sir Thomas White's charity, no doubt was part of one of Peverel's forfeited estates, 
and obtained at the same time and in the same manner as the other land was obtained ; yet over 
this, the burgesses at large never assumed any authority. But the most weighty reason may be 
found in the mode of the election of senior councilmen. — A political right or privilege, which has 
ever been exercised independently of prescription or charter, must have sprung from boon or 
commutation. f And the rich have ever been too fond of power to suffer the poor to participate 
with them in its exercise, as a matter of choice, except on condition of receiving some notable 
honor in return. And, as common councilmen are not named in the charter of Henry the Sixth, 



* There goes an opinion that the corporation receive these rents as an understood compensation for draining the land, keeping footpaths 
&c. in repair. That they do these things is very tine ; but that they do them as a consideration for value received is one of those popular 
errors on which mistaken claims and false theories are often built. 

As a proof that the corporation hold a dispensing power in the disposal of these parts, and that too independently of the almost irresistable 
influence of custom, it is only necessary to state, that from time immemorial it was the invariable practice for the widow of a burgess to 
succeed her husband in the possession of apart, if he held one at his death, and to claim it in his stead, did she live and continue in a 
widowed state till his name appeared at the head of the list of claiments. But, about two years ago, an order of hall annulled this custom 
»ith respect to those women who may happen to marry burgesses, after the latter have had their parts allotted to them. 

f According to the statute of limitations, which was passed in 1541, undisturbed possession of property or privilege must have been 
enjoyed sixty years before the right by prescription can be pleaded with effect. 

3U 



262 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



or any previous one, it is evident that no such officers existed at that time, except what might be, 
and most probably were chosen by the corporation of the merchants' guild for the general 
management of their business — as we know that these officers were elected by the burgesses long 
before such elections were guaranteed by charter in 1692, is it not fair and natural to conclude that 
the right of electing the common councilmen was first obtained by commutation ? And what 
had the burgesses to give or surrender for this privilege, except the right of electing the aldermen, as 
granted by Henry the Sixth ? Therefore, what can appear more reasonable than the burgesses 
(when pinched with poverty, and to oblige their employers) should give up the immediate right of 
choosing the aldermen, when the bait of gain was set in their way, accompanied with the privilege 
of electing the second class of officers in the corporate body? The rich would not fail too 10 
represent to the poor the necessity of drawing some line of distinction in, the choice of the 
aldermen, with respect to station in life, in order to secure justice from being overbalanced, in its 
administration between man and man, by ignorance and pecuniary rewards ; and also to convince 
the king, that they were not disposed to make an ill use of their newly acquired privilege. 

The man whose mind is overshadowed by prejudice, may carp at the custom which narrows 
down the internal elective franchise of a city or borough ; but still, upon mature reflection, few, 
very few, I think, will be found, who will not allow that some criterion should befi xed whereby the 
election of magistrates should be regulated, lest the exercise of such right should become a 
burlesque upon the electors as well as upon the elected. If, in the event of an indiscriminate 
choice, a blustering shoe-black, an ostler, or a bill-sticker, in some capricious moment, should 
obtain the suffrage of his fellow burgesses, and thereby become chief magistrate ; what a figure 
would he cut, adorned with the dignity of his high office, and clad in scarlet and ermine, by the 
side of the judge on the bench of justice ! and not to mention the strong probability of his acting 
with a low minded partiality towards the faction that gave him power, the office itself would fall 
into disrepute, and the chartered rights into disgrace, which would be a just pretext for government 
to take them away.* 

This conclusion, respecting the election of aldermen, naturally brings under notice a very 
important trial on the same subject, which took place at Leicester, on the 28th of July, 1809, 
before Sir Simon le Blanc and a special jury. It was instituted by the king against John Ash well, 
Esq. for exercising the functions of alderman of Nottingham, without his having been elected to 
that office by the burgesses at large according to the letter of the charter granted by Henry the 
Sixth, and on the issue of which public expectation was at a very high pitch. f 



• A few years ago, when the question of right of popular election was in dispute, the lowest character in 'the town was put in nomination to fill 
the office of mayor, by the next in rank with himself. This circumstance, wUbout the partes intending it. had a very good effect. We may mention 
too as a historic fact, that some of the most dreadful convulsions which agitated the Roman Republic were occasioned for want of a system to regulate 
the public opinion in the election of the magistrates. 

f According to an express law, all corporate trials must be held, either in the shire-hall of the appertaining county, in a contiguous county, or in 
the court of King's Bench, London, for the purpose of preventing all undue influence iu packing the jury, or otherwise. And, because no burgess can 
be plaintiff in a suit against the corporate body of which, by virtue of his oath he is a member, the king is made nominal plaintiff; the complaining 
party having first given security for the payment of all expenses which may occur, in case of a loss of the suit, or otherwise. The latter law was 
passed to prevent a train of litigious actions by one party against another in corporate bodies; therefore the losing party pays the costs as in the court 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 263 



The defence set up by Sir Thomas Plomer, the king's solicitor-general and leading- counsel for 
the defendant, was, that the present manner of electing the aldermen from among the senior 
council, had been pursued from the year 1577, which was proved by a number of corporate 
records ; which custom, he said, was founded upon a bye-law passed by the burgesses at large, or 
with their consent. " To state the true grounds on which the jury will have to decide the merits 
<( of the case," said Sir Thomas, " the charter of Henry the Sixth, gave to the burgesses at large 
" the right of electing the aldermen — in this body was the inherent right too of transferring the 
" power, thu§ vested in them, to a select body, for the purpose of better obtaining the principal 
cc object of the body politic, which is the good government, the peace, and quiet of the town." 
Though this bye-law is not now in existence, nor any record to prove that it ever had a being, yet 
the Lex non scripta, or what is now called the common law of the land, maintains its existence, 
from the long usage which rests upon its supposed authority.* 

In the course of a most luminous and argumentative speech, Sir Thomas said, "The question 
te stands decided by the highest tribunal in the country. In the reign of Elizabeth, attempts were 
" made in various parts of the kingdom to overturn usages like the present. The question in 
" itself important, was become more weighty from the disorders occasioned by those disputes. — ■ 
,e The Lords of the Privy Council therefore referred the matter to the chief justice and chief 
" baron (men of high authority^ in the law,) who called in the rest of the judges. The question 
iC underwent great deliberation, and the result distinctly and solemnly promulgated to regulate and 
' : determine the point in all future times. It has become the law of the land, and has never been 
" controverted." — The case alluded to is to be found in Lord Coke's Reports, 4th vol. page 77, 
and is as follows : — 

St. Michaelmas Term, la the 40th and 4lst of Queen Elizabeth. The case of corporation. — In this term, at 
Serjeants 5 inn, in Fleet-street, it was demanded of the chief justices Popham and Anderson, Periam, chief baron, 
and the other justices, That where divers cities, boroughs, and towns, are incorporated by charters, some by the name 
of mayor and commonalty, or mayor, and burgesses, &c. or bailiffs and burgesses, &c. or aldermen and burgesses, 
&c. or Provost, or Reeve and burgesses, or the like; and in the said charters it is prescribed, That the mayors, 
aldermen, provosts, &c. shall be chosen by the commonalty, or burgesses, &c. If the ancient and usual elections of 
mayors, aldermen, bailiffs, provosts, &c. by certain selected numbers of the principal of the commonalty, or burgesses, 
commonly called the common council, or by such like name, and not in general by the whole community of burgesses, 
nor by so many of them as would come to the election, were good in law, for as much as by the words of charters 
the election should be indefinitely by the commonalty, or by the burgesses, which is as much as to say by all the 
commonality, or by all the burgesses, &c. Which question, being of great importance and consequence, was referred 
by the Lords of the Council to the Justices to know the law in this case, because divers attempts were made of late in 
divers corporations contrary to the ancient usage to make popular elections :--- And it was resolved by the justices, 
upon great deliberation and conference had among themselves, That such ancient and usual elections were good and 



of Common Plras. Tue reason why this action was brought against Mr. Ashwell was, because he was the nearest of having served the office of 
alderman six years ; as a gentlematj having served that lime can hold the office forwards, notwithstanding his electiou was illegal, except a legal 
process has been commenced asainst him previous to the expiration of the time. Aud if a verdict had been given against Mr. Ash well, all the juniot 
aldermen would have been liable to the loss of office by writs of ouster. 

* The law maintains the existence of such bye-laws upon the ground, that usages which have long existed independent of statute law or charts* 
«ouid not have otherwise obtained ; and from a supposition that such bye-laws may have been purposely or accidentally destroyed. 



264 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



well warranted by their charters, and by the law also ; for in every of their chart, they have power given them to 
make law9, ordinances, and constitutions for the better government and order of their cities or boroughs &c. by force 
of which, and for avoiding of popular confusion, they, by their common assent, constitute and ordain, That the 
mayor or bailiffs or other principal officers shall be elected by a selected number of the principal of the commonalty 
or of the burgesses as is aforesaid, and prescribe also how such selected number shall be chosen, and such ordinance 
and constitution was resolved to be good and allowable, and agreeable with the law and their charters for avoiding of 
popular disorder and confusion : And although now such constitution or ordinance cannot be shewed, yet it shall be 
presumed and intended in respect of such special manner of ancient and continual election (which special election 
could not begin without common consent) that at first such ordinance or constitution was made, such reverend respect 
the law attributes to ancient and continued allowance and usage, although it began within time of m'emory : Mas 
retinendus est Jidelissimce vetustatis ; qua prater consuetudinem Sf morem major um jiunt, neque placent, neque 
rectavidentur ; Sf frequentia actus multum operalur. And according to this resolution the ancient and continual 
usages have been in London, Norwich, and other ancient cities and corporations, and God forbid they should now 
be innovated or altered, for many and great inconveniencies will therefore arise, all which the law has well prevented, 
as appears by this resolution. 

This article., the records produced, and the learned counsels' pleading were conclusive ; and the jury 
gave a verdict for the defendant. Thus we see a bye-law for which there is no foundation, except 
supposition, supported by the grave authority of a bench of judges, by the venerable opinion and 
the prayers of the learned Lord Coke, by the brilliant eloquence, the commanding diction, and 
convincing arguments of one of the first civilians of the present age, and, what is still more, by 
the unanimous and unbiased decision of a British jury.* 

The reader will have seen, that the hypothesis advanced respecting the manner by which the 
burgesses came by their right in their lands is entirely unconnected with the evidence produced at, 
and the result of this trial ; nay, if the presumed bye-law, with its supposed date, had been forth- 
coming, and it had confined itself to the mere point in dispute at this trial, it would have overturned 
my hypothesis altogether; and we should have been left in the same labyrinth of uncertainties as 
when we started on the difficult investigation ; but, as that date and the assumed nature of the 
bye-law are only supported by record of a corresponding date, it does no such thing. For, if that 
record, on which alone the bare supposition of the bye-law rests, had been dated in 1500, instead of 
1577, the bye-law would have had the same authority and have been supported by the same authority ; 
and so on to the year 1442, the date of Henry the Sixth's charter, and the time at which my hypothesis 
supposes a real, and far more important bye-law to have been made. Therefore the latter 
supposition is stronger, as a historic deduction, than that of the bye-law's having been passed in 
1577, though not so in point of law; because the proof of the practice founded upon it bears the 
latter date. Besides, by looking at the parenthesis in Lord Coke's Reports, we find that such 
special election (meaning the election of an alderman by the common council only) could not 
begin without common consent. And, as the record of 1577, says nothing about common consent, 
but merely confines itself to the fact of the election of an alderman having taken place at that 
time contrary to the letter of the charter, this circumstance is of itself a signal, and, we may fairly 



• At the Michaelmas Term after the trial, the Attorney-General obtained a rule to shew the unreasonableness of the supposed bye-law ;, but when 
the case came to be argued, on the 25th of January, 1810, Lord Ellenborough, Mr. Justice Grose, and Mr. Justice Bailey, gave their opinion that the 
bye-law w as reasonable and just ; consequently the rule was discharged, and the question for ever laid at rest. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 265 



say, a legal proof, that the bye-law which recorded the common consent of the burgesses was of 
an anterior date ; the mode of electing the aldermen at the date of the confirmatory record (for 
it is nothing else) being then the customary mode ; or the record would not have barely confined 
itself to the fact of an election being thus made. And is it likely, that the common consent of a 
body of needy men could be obtained for the giving up a signal control and authority, which at 
least would flatter their vanity, without a compensation ? Those who think so, can know little of 
the passions which govern the great mass of mankind ! Another very striking proof is, that there 
is no record in existence, or even traditionary report, of an alderman ever having been elected by 
the burgesses at large; nor is there any authority to prove how the burgesses obtained the privilege 
of electing the senior councilmen. Therefore the very circumstances disclosed at this- trial, tend 
most materially to support the hypothesis of the burgesses having obtained the right of 
possession in the lands, and the privilege of electing the senior councilmen, in consideration of 
giving up the right of electing the aldermen ; and that too immediately after the charter of 
Henry the Sixth, ivas obtained. 

I have thus given my opinion freely, as to the way by which the burgesses obtained their lands ; 
and, though some may differ from me on the subject, I think none will accuse me of partiality — 
the question merited investigation, and as such I have done my duty. 

COMMOJY COUNCIL. 

This body, as has already been observed, consists of eighteen senior and six junior counsellors; 
to whom are annexed, in their deliberative capacity, six aldermen and the mayor. To constitute 
a hall for the transacting of business, the mayor, three aldermen, and nine senior counsellors must 
be present. The junior counsellors are summoned the same as the other members of the hall, and 
they have now the privilege of voting in all questions ; but still their presence is not necessary to 
authorize the body to transact corporate business.* Upon questions relating to the chamber 
estates, the chamberlains have a right to vote : on other occasions they act as officers in waiting to 
the corporate body. The aldermen are chosen by the common hall out of the senior counsellors ;f 
and the last elected alderman generally serves the office of mayor the ensuing year ; otherwise this 
office goes by rotation, except some particular cause, connected with the alderman the next in 
succession, be assigned for deviating from the practice. The senior counsellors are elected by the 
burgesses at large out of those that have served the offices of chamberlain and sheriff", though they 
having served the office of chamberlain alone constitutes the necessary qualification ; while the 
junior counsellors are elected in the same popular way, without any other qualification than that of 
beins: a resident burgess. 



* Till 1722, at which time the junior counsellors ceased to be elected, they were neither suffered to vote iu the hall, or sit at the table ; there being 
a bench set apart for them to sit upon at a distance from the rest. 

t We must ob?erve ; however, that this custom has been twice dispensed with, once in 1733, at the election of Thomas Lingford, who went iu to 
the church sheriff, and came out mayor. In this mayoralty a person of the name of Ward was made burgess at the age of 106. In Mr. Langfnrds 
secocd immorality. 1740, he served the office of high sheriff for the county. The second time the custom was dispensed with was in i S 1 , Mr. John 
Bii^ being then elected to the office of alderman without having been a member of the council. 

3 X 



206 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



On the subject of the corporate council, Deering speaks as follows : — " From the time of Henry 
" the Sixth, the burgesses enjoyed in peace all the advantages which they had bestowed upon them 
' ; by the crown, till the reign of king James the First, when a dispute arose between the aldermen 
" and the council, because the former had lately taken upon them, without the consent of the 
" burgesses, to sit in the hall as members of the council, and to give their vote in settling and 
" disposing of the corporation, bridge, and school lands; which encroachment caused the burgesses 
" to apply to the Lords of the King's Privy Council, who referred the affair to the judges 
" examination : these, after mature consideration of the charter and other matters in dispute, gave 
" in certificates of their opinion, which produced an order of the Privy Council, whereby the 
" aldermen were excluded voting as counsellors, and the number of these last was limited to 
" twenty-four, of which six were chosen by the burgesses at large out of themselves, who had not 
'* served the office of chamberlain and sheriff." "And this, he observes in a note," " was their first 
" sanction for chusing six junior counsellors." 

For this rare piece of information, Deering was beholden to Mr. Sacheverell's f case of the 
" corporation of Nottingham," to which our author refers us for clear and satisfactory information 
on the subject, and which was written while the person whose name it bears was writhing under 
the pressure of a fine of 500 marks for having been deeply involved in a riot in guildhall; and 
while under a bond for his good behaviour. A little investigation into this matter will prove how 
dangerous it is for a historian to commit his credit on board so crazy a bark.* 

Now Deering well knew, that the aldermen did sit in the hall, and vote on all occasions, at 
the time he was writing his work ; therefore, if at so recent a period as the reign of James the First, 
they had been expelled the hall, he ought to have informed us at what time, and on what authority 
they resumed their seats ; but this he has not attempted to do. Were this the only reason for 
rejecting the account of the aldermen's expulsion from the council, we should be justified in so 
doing ; but the source whence Deering drew his information, will furnish others still more 
conclusive. f It is true this " case of the corporation" informs us, that some objections were made 
to the aldermen's sitting in the council, and one reason assigned by the writer is, "because there 
" were no aldermen in the town before Henry the Sixth's days " Now did not Mr. Sacheverell 
know, that the burgesses were first authorized to elect aldermen by the charter of this very 
monarch ? which charter says not a word about the adoption of a corporate council ! This council 
could only originate from necessity and a combination of interests ; and is, as has already been 
proved, the offspring of the merchants' guild and' the corporation of burgesses united. And is it 
not reasonable to suppose, as soon as the guild had compromised with the burgessess for the 
election of the aldermen, that the latter would have the privilege of sitting in the council of the 



* The only palliative which justice can point out for thu erroneous statement given by Mr. Sacheverell is, the necessity he felt of justify mg himself and 
friends, in making one of the boldest struggles which ever was made by a handful of men in a local capacity, to prevent tyranny from rearing its 
hideous power upon the ruins of prescriptive and chartered Tights. 

t The Privy Council of the king has no such power as is attributed to it by Deering and Sacheverell, if we are to credit the first law authorities ; the 
Lords of the Council having no judicial authority, except in cases where the king is admitted the feudal lord ; therefore the tale ofexpulsion is founded 
ch ignoranc and falsehood 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 267 



guild, of which body they would be conspicuous members ? and thus, by consolidating the two 
bodies into one, they would act another very dignified part in the political compact — they would 
become the guardians for the due performance of the contract between the two parties. 

In support of the opinion that the aldermen have sat in the common council from their first 
election, we have only to refer to the trial which took place in 1775, respecting the right of the 
burgesses to choose six junior counsellors ; and to the surrender of the charters in 1681. 

From some old deeds produced in evidence at the trial, there can be no doubt of the aldermen 
having sat in the council chamber from the time of their first election, since those deeds were 
signed by the mayor, three or four aldermen, and six common counsellors ; and were the regular 
transactions of the corporate body as far back as the reigns of Henry the Sixth, Henry the Eighth, 
and Elizabeth. And when the charters were attempted to be surrendered (the account of which 
is given us by this very Sacheverell) Gervas Wyld, mayor, Christopher Hall, John Parker, Gervas 
Rippon, William Toplady, and William Greaves, aldermen, voted on the occasion. And although 
a petition, signed by nearly four hundred burgesses, was presented to the Lord Chancellor against 
the surrender, not a word is found therein against the right of the aldermen to vote in the council, 
which certainly would have been the case had they been so recently forbidden to exercise the right of 
voting on corporate business, particularly as all those named above, except Greaves, voted for the 
surrender; and, more particularly still, as without the mayor and aldermen, there would have been 
a majority of three against the surrender, which would either have prevented the transaction from 
having taken place, or have rendered it illegal in itself, and therefore would have been a proper 
subject of complaint.* 

* Though this petition does not call in questiou the right of the aldermen to vote in the hall, yet it contains other matter of considerable interest.— 
The petitioners distinctly assert, that the lands which the burgesses enjoyed were not obtained by royal bounty ; and the argument which they dwell 
mainly upon against a surrender of the charters is, that as these lands were given by " divers persons to the corporation," the surrender of the 
charters would cause such lands to be lost to the burgesses, if heirs to the original doners could be traced. It may be proper to observe here, as the 
distinction is not made UDder the last bead, that the Coppices, which contain 190 acres and a few roods, are to be considered as an exception to the other 
lands, witk respect to the manner of obtainment; as it was the opinion of the late Mr. Coldham, town clerk, to whose memory I here pay a grateful 
tribute of respect for the satisfactory and gentlemanly manner in which he always treated me when I applied to him for information for this history, 
and whose name is mentioned in the preface, that the Coppices were given to the corporation of burgesses by James the First, as a mark of respect for 
the handsome manner in which he was treated, when enjoying his carousal at St. Ann's, as noticed in a foregoing chapter ; these Coppices, which are 
now converted into excellent arable aud pasture lands, being then overspread with timber and underwood, and forming that portion of the Royal Chace 
which lay within the liberties of the town. In 1809, the corporation advertised a part of the Coppices for sale, towards discharging a debt of upwards 
of five thousand pounds, which had been contracted, partly for repairing the town prisons previously to the collecting of the " town rate," and partly in 
defending themselves in certain law suits, which were stated to have been commenced against them by individual burgesses from captious and political 
motives. Before the day of sale arrived, a meeting of a number of burgesses was held in guildhall to oppose the sale of the land, on the ground of its 
consisting of burgess-parts; and that the corporation had wantonly and unnecessarily squandered away the fonds of the body. The town clerk rebutted 
these accusations by asserting, that there were no burgess-parts upon the Coppice lands, but that the corporation paid to thirty burgesses thirty shillings 
a year each, out of the rental thereof ; which custom, he said, might be supposed to have originated from this money being paid as a compensation in 
lieu of converting that land into burgess-parts when it lay in an uncultivated state, as when it lay in that state, if it had been divided, it would not have 
answered any good purpose to the burgesses individually, the corporate body thereby becoming the legal disposers of the land in question, as the 
compact of paying and receiving inferred the general consent of the burgesses at large to a bye-law to that effect [It appears however that the 
payment to the burgesses has been increased within the last century, asa small record which I possess, written in 1713, states the payments then to be 
twenty shillings a year to twenty burgesses each.] The town clerk also stated, that the corporation had not wantonly expended a shilling of the money 
resulting from their estates during the last twenty years. To prove the truth of this assertion, Mr. Alderman Ashwell proposed, that a committee of six 
should be immediately chosen, three to be elected by the burgesses then present, and three by thecorporate body, to examine the chamberlains' accounts; 
aud the result of such investigation to be afterwards published in any way the burgesses in full meeting should determine ; which proposition was 



208 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Let us now try Deering's account of the origin of the junior counsellors, which he founded upon 
the authority of Mr. Sacheverell's testimony, by the test of serjeant Hill's declaration, who was 
leading counsel against the corporation at the trial in 1775. This gentleman stated, ' f that it had 
" been the ancient constitution of the town of Nottingham, to elect eighteen senior and six junior 
" counsellors, so far back as the year 1662, when the corporation was regulated by the act of 
" parliament of the 13th of Charles the Second, and from thence to the year 1681, at which time 
" the charters of the town were surrendered to king Charles the Second. That king William and 
" queen Mary, by their charter, granted to the mayor and burgesses of this town in the year 1692, 
** had restored to them the ancient constitution they enjoyed before the surrender of their charters, 
" which consisted of eighteen senior and six junior counsellors; and that the corporation understood 
" such charter to be so, because, immediately after the granting thereof, they elected eighteen senior 
" and six junior counsellors, and continued such custom to the year 1722, (being thirty years after 
u the charter), when the corporation, for reasons best known to themselves, refused to elect any 
u more junior counsellors." In support of this declaration, several entries (says my account) in the 
years 1662, 1692, and 1693, were read from the corporation books, when it was admitted to have 
been the invariable custom of the town to have eighteen senior and six junior counsellors, the latter 
alone being chosen from among those burgesses that had not served any office in the corporate 
bod}% from 1662 to 1722, with the exception of about ten years, when the corporation subsisted 
under the charter of Charles the Second. 

Sacheverell and Deering inform us, that the circumstance which gave occasion to the chusing 
of a junior council took place in 1605, while serjeant Hill, upon this important point never refers 
to their authority, but, on the contrary, asserts (and supports his assertion by legal records) that 
this branch of the corporate constitution was instituted in 1662, making a difference of 57 years. — 
The reader, I presume, will not hesitate to decide between the two authorities ; for, though they 
were alike produced in opposition to the corporation, the one was the effect of spleen, disappointment, 
and chagrin, while the other is founded upon argument and record, and adduced to support an 
important point of law, a point of law on which rested that branch of the corporate constitution 
which forms the subject of the opposing testimonies. And, as we are justified in rejecting the 
date given us by these writers of the original election of the junior council, so we are justified (if 
no otherreason had been adduced for so doing) in rejecting the ground-work of the date also; 
namely, the expulsion of the aldermen from the common hall. 

On the 12th of April, 1776, the six following gentlemen were elected members of the junior 
council, after a trifling opposition of one day by a Mr. Statham, who polled about 70 votes, while 
the others polled upwards of 300 each; viz. Cornelius Launder, Esq. Mr. Thomas Frost, Mr. John 



supported by the mayor and Mr. Alderman Allen. This honorable proposal was neglected to be embraced, through the folly of a few individuals, who 
seemed to sink under the weight of their own daring, and whose object appeared more to excite clamour, than to obtain justice and information ; the 
truth of which may be inferred from the leading man in the business being, at the very time, subject to a prosecution for infringing upon the burgesses 
land. 

In consequence of a want of due decorum in some persons present, the mayor, aldermen, and their friends retired, as also did other respectable persons 
that came to the meeting with a view of opposing them, when the few that remained passed it resolution to petition the Lord Chancellor against the 
saleof the land ; but the corporation proceeded no further in the business. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 269 



Morris, Mr. Thomas Rawson, Mr. Charles Brown, and Mr. John Sterland — Mr. Brown dying in 
1781, was succeeded by Mr. John Aleyne, who dying in 1792, was succeeded by Mr. John James, 
Mr. Frost dying in 1798, was succeeded by Mr. Richard Hooton, Mr. Morris dying in 1799, was 
succeeded by Mr. James Lee, Mr. Rawson dying in 1801, was succeeded by Mr. Charles Twells, 
Cornelius Launder, Esq. dying in 1S07, was succeeded by Mr. Lewis AIlsopp,* Mr. Twells dying 
in 1809, was succeeded by Mr. Martin Roe, Mr. Sterland dying in 1815, was succeeded by Mr. 
James Dale. 

The principal object which induced the suing parties to seek for the re-election of junior 
counsellors was grounded on an opinion, that the corporation would be compelled to elect their 
chamberlains out of that body, which would have given them the exclusive privilege of rising to the 
highest offices of the corporate body, and would have caused an election of two junior counsellors 
annually, independently of what might have been occasioned by death. Nor was it long before 
this question was brought before Lord Mansfield, who had presided at the previous trial ; but his 
lordship informed the junior counsellors that they must be contented in their present stations, as 
the mayor, like every other independent gentleman, had a right to choose his own chamberlains 
or stewards 



* After Mr. AiUopp was declared duly elected, and it was expected that he was going to be sworn, in the manner as all the members of the common 
council are, he refused to take that oath or part of an oa«h which forbids the members of the council to divulge the secrets thereof; he was 
therefore refused permission to enter the council chamber, and he declared his intention to seek his remedy at law. In this he was partially supported 
by popular opinion, under an impression that all oaths of secrecy in corporate bodies were so many guarantees for ma'ing an improper use of the 
property entrusted by charter or common law to their care; and, as Mr. AIlsopp was an attorney-at-law himself, great expectations were en'ertaiued 
from his resistance to the usual custom ; but, among the more reflecting part of the community, his being an attorney, and making the attempt, 
excited all the astonishment, as it was thought that the knowledge which lie was supposed to possess of the common law of the land, would Lave 
prevented him from thus committing himself, as a few observations will make plainly appear. And it will also plainly appear, that the burgesses have 
no more cause to dread the oath of secrecy, as taken by the members of the common council, than they have to dread the decrees of the Turkish divan ; 
nay, I have no doubt that this oath will appear to the unprejudiced rather as a benefit than an evil. 

It is known that parliament, immediately on its re-election, amopg other things, demands of the king the privilege of speech, that it? members, in 
their parliamentary capacity, may be protected against prosecution for their declarations and animadversions upon persons and things, except as they 
are amenable to the bye-laws of the house. And does not every man of common sense say that this is a good custom — a proper protection ? certainly 
he does ! And ought not the members of a political body corporate to have the same privilege of speech, in their corporate capacity — ought not they 
to have the same protection ? And, as this privilege cannot, be obtained in the way it is obtained for members of parliament, it is sought for and 
procured under the sacred guarantee of an oath. For the oath of secrecy has no other meaning, nor affords no other protection, as is manifest, from any 
autnoritive act of the corporate body being subject to legal investigation, by the king's becoming prosecutor, if properly applied to for that purpose; 
and from the congregated members of the corporate body being amenable to offended justice, if they have been found to adopt proceedings contrary to 
the rule of right. The oath in question has no other effect, nor is any other intention coupled with it, than that of emboldening every member of the 
council to canvass freely and without exposure the characters of persons put in nomin:ition for certain offices, and to give their opinions frankly and 
honestly upon any subject brought onder their consideration. For, were it not for this protecting oath — was every observation, made in the hall, 
liable to exposure, animadversion, and common tale-bearing distortion out of the hall, where is the gentleman that would chuse to give his sentiments 
freely upon, and state his private objections to another's becoming an ostensible officer to the body, who, in point of property and influence, might be far 
bis superior ; and perhaps have the power of doing him very great injury? For instance, suppose an alderman is wanted, and some purse-proud 
Tuffian who has not served the office of chamberlain, is put in nomination — and such men frequently have their friends in public bodies — is it right that 
he should be opposed on the. ground of public character and decorum, and, indeed, on the ground of public justice, or is it not? And few gentlemen, it 
must be allowed, would chuse to run the risk, if they were not protected against exposure, and, consequently, against private and combined vengeance. 
The oath in question has this effect ; and it is therefore held good in point of justice and equity, as well as in law ; and such Mr. AIlsopp found, for, when 
the question was brought before Lord Ellenborough, his lordship informed him that the oath was a very proper one; and therefore if he chose not to 
take it he was at liberty so to do. aad some other burgess might be elected in his stead. But Mr. AIlsopp chose rather to take the oath and his seat in 
the council. 

3Y 



270 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



LIST OF THE SENIOR COUNCIL. 

Mr. John Collisliaw * Mr. Thomas Carpenter Smith 

Mr. Robert Summers * Joseph Hurst Lowe, Esq. 

Mr. William Iluthwaite * Mr. Cornelius Iluthwaite 

John Fellows, Esq. 5 Mr. John Houseman Barber 

Mr. Edward Chatteris * Mr. Henry Enfield 

Mr. Thomas Pepper 5 Mr. Jonathan Dunn 

Mr. Joseph Heath * Mr. John Stone 

Mr. Thomas Wyld * Mr. William Hickling 

Mr. Nathaniel Need, jun. * Mr. William Morley 

THE ALDERMEJY AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WARDS. 

CHAPEL WARD. 

This ward, to which Alderman Allen succeeded in 1804, begins at the north-east corner of 
Friar-lane ; thence passing- across the Market-place and up Sheep-lane, the west side of which it 
embraces ; then crossing Parliament-street and going along Shaw's-lane till it reaches the 
Mansfield-road, which it follows to the extremities of the town's liberties in that direction ; then it 
skirts those liberties till it arrives at Radford ; thence it passes on to the Park, and skirts the fields 
till it reaches the Infirmary gardens ; then leaving Standard-hill to the right, and passing down 
Park-street and Friar-lane, taking in all the intermediate building to the place where it begins. 

CASTLE WARD. 

Alderman Swann succeeded to this ward in 1804. It begins at the top of Wheeler-gate, and 
runs up the south side of Friar-lane and Park-street; then turning obliquely from the Castle-lodge, 
it passes down by Brewhouse-yard and over the Leen opposite the Castle-wharf, the latter of which 
it leaves to the right ; it then goes by the engine-house and passes over the newly erected bridge at 
the bottom of Greyfriars-gate, taking in the west side of that street aud of Lister-gate.^ It then 
proceeds across the Low-pavement, through Church-lane, up the south, and down the north side of 
Pepper-street; then taking in the building in St. Peter's-church-yard, and embracing the porched 
house opposite the outlet from the latter place, it proceeds down St. Peter's-gate to Peck-lane, 
comprehending both sides of the latter street as far as the Punchbowl coffee-house ; then proceeding- 
down St. Peter's-square, and up the east side of Wheeler-gate, and ending at the corner of 
Timber-hill, 

MARKET WARD. 

Alderman Coldham succeeded to this ward in 1808. It proceeds from the west to the east end 
of Timber-hill ; then passing over to Middle-row, and proceeding up Cheapside, it passes through 
and takes in both sides of High-street. It then courses up the west side of Clumber-street and 
Milton-street; then proceeds up the same side of Mansfield-road, and turns on Shaw's-lane to 
Parliament-street, which it crosses, and goes down the east side of Sheep-lane, and then over 
the Market-place to the point where it begins, aud comprehending all the building within its 
circuit. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 271 



NORTH WARD. 

To this ward Alderman Wilson succeeded in 1810. It takes its course from the west end of 
Pelham-street ; then passing up the east side of Clumber-street and Milton-street,, it proceeds up 
the same side of the Mansfield-road, and skirts the town's liberties in a direction which comprehends 
the Clay-fields., the Coppices, St. Ann's-well, &c. as far as the Carlton-road and Snenton, still 
skirting the town till it arrives at the end of Barker-gate, up the north side of which it passes into 
Stoney-street, the whole of which it comprehends. It then takes in Short-hill, and St. Mary's- 
church-side as far as the Long-stairs ; it then embraces the whole of St. Mary's-gate, from the 
north end of which street it proceeds down Warser-gate, and passing up the north side of Carlton- 
street and down Pelham-street to where it commences ; consequently it comprehends Hockley, 
Coalpit-lane, and all the masses of new buildings in that direction. 

BRIDGE WARD. 

Alderman Ashwell succeeded to this ward in 1802. It begins at the top of Garner's-hill, whence 
it passes down the east side of it and through Middle-marsh. It then takes in the whole of Broad- 
marsh, and passes down the east side of Greyfriars-gate, at the bottom of which it crosses the Leen, 
and, after having compassed the town's liberties in the direction of Lenton, Wilford, Colwick, and 
Snenton, it enters Barker-gate in the same direction as the north ward does, taking in the south 
side of that street. It passes through and embraces the whole of Bellar-gate and the Hollow-stone; 
then turns up Malin-hill, and out at the top of the Long-stairs ; then comprehending the whole of 
the High-pavement, it ends at the Blue-coat school. 

MIDDLE WARD. 

To this ward Alderman Morley succeeded in 1814. It proceeds from the Black Moor's-head 
in High-street, taking in the building to the end of Bridlesmith-gate, then up Chandler's-lane, 
down the south side of Carlton-street, and round by the Stoney-street end thereof, it passes up the 
north side of Warser-gate till it arrives opposite the end of St. Mary's-gate, when it embraces both 
sides of Warser-gate and Bottle-lane. It then passes along the east side of Bridlesmith-gate, turns 
back on the west side, and, after directing its course down the Poultry, it ends at the Punch-bowl, 
in Peck-lane. 

MONT-HALL WARD. 

This ward proceeds down the west side of Garner's-hill, and up Drury-hill. It takes the whole 
of the Middle and Low-pavements, as also Halifax-lane, Pilcher-gate, Fletcher-gate, Market-street, 
and Byard-lane; and, when at the bottom of the Low-pavement, it proceeds down the east side of 
Lister-gate, and ends near the bottom of that street, where it meets the castle ward. The late 
Alderman Bates was elected to this ward in 1810 ; nor has a successor to him yet been 
elected.* 



* We must here observe, that the jurisdiction of the aldermen is not confined to (heir respective wards, as eacli ho!d* jurisdiction over the town, 
which was divided into wards for the conveniency of the constables in the performance of some part of their du'y 



272 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 






CORPORATE SERVANTS. 

These officers consist of two bridge- masters, two school-wardens, two coroners,* two chamberlains, 
twoVieriffs, a town clerk, who is also clerk of the peace, a sheriffs' clerk, who is steward of the 
mayor's and sheriffs' court, and clerk of the sheriffs' county court, a surveyor or town's husband, 
two bailiffs, who are Serjeants at mace, the mayor's serjeant, the common serjeant, who is also 
called the mayoress's serjeant, the keeper of the gaol, the keeper of the house of correction, a town 
cryer, a a field pounder, a meadow pounder, and the keeper of the fields and woods. 

The bridge-masters and school-wardens are chosen annually, though it is customary, and, I 
believe, conformable to an order of hall, for the same gentlemen to be twice or three times 
successively re-chosen, that they may advantage the trusts committed to their care in the subsequent 
years by the experience obtained in the first year ; and, in consideration of the high importance 
attached to these trusts, these officers generally are aldermen. The chamberlains and sheriffs are 
also chosen annually; and the chamberlains for one year are generally chosen sheriffs for the next. 
These two latter officers wear black silk gowns, as do the bailiffs, who are their Serjeants at mace. 
The town clerk likewise wears a black silk gown. The mayor's serjeant is also a serjeant at mace, 
he carrying the mayor's massive and distinguishable gold and silver mace at all public processions; 
the present serjeant and one of his predecessors in office also holding the situation of high 
constable. And the common serjeant is keeper of the fields and woods. These two officers have 
one and the same livery, which consists of a dark blue cloak trimmed with gold lace, and hats 
trimmed with the same material, and encircled with a gold band.f The town cryer and the 
keeper of the house of correction wear a red livery with blue cuffs and trimmed with silver lace, 
and hats trimmed and banded with the same material; and the two pounders wear a green livery, 

with similar trimmings to the two officers just named. Formerly there was a scavenger and a 

purveyor ; but the duty of the former is performed by the chamberlains, and the latter has ceased 
to be necessary, since hot entertainments went out of fashion. 

Deering, when speaking of the corporate servants, observes, " The mayor and sheriffs had 
" formerly an officer called a bill-bearer, at present that office is unknown." As neither our 
author nor tradition have furnished a hint, as to the nature of this office, we are left entirely to 
conjecture. The only duty performed by any of the servants at this time, which can bear any 
affinity to the appellation of bill-bearer, is that of carrying out summonses from the mayor to the 
common council, &c. on corporate business, which is performed, as seems very natural, by the 
mayor's serjeant. Is it not reasonable to suppose, that the corporation, shortly after their judicial! 
inauguration, would employ an officer to carry the securis or axe, and the fasces before them at 



* Tha coroners are elected by what are called the livery or clothing, i. e. all those who have served Ihe office of ehamberlain ; the distinctiveness ofl 
which name or names clearly imports, as indeed is the fact, that the gentlemen serving the latter office wore the livery or clothing of the corporation! 
which consists of a black silk gown, except the under servants, whose dresses will be described presently. Neither the chamberlains nor the coroner^ 
have worn the gown of some time. 

f The duly of the keeper of the fields and woods has ceased ; and so have his perquisites, except a tree be blown down within the liberties of tud 
tewn, which, according to custom, becomes his properly. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 273 



their public processions,, in order to impress their authority with additional awe upon the multitude, 
in the same manner as the Roman magistrates were preceded by their lictors ; these instruments 
being- the natural appendages of justice? And supposing- this practice to have been pursued (and 
there would be great propriety in it now) the name of the axe or halberd might provincially be 
converted into bill, a circumstance nowise uncommon ; and hence the bearer thereof would obtain 
the name of bill-bearer. 

ANCIENT CUSTOMS OF THE CORPORATION. 

Deering in page 124 has preserved an account of an ancient annual procession of the corporate 
body to Southwell, which he says was copied by the Rev. Samuel Berdmore from the register of 
that town. " It runs thus : — " The maiore of Nottingh. and his brethren and all the clothing in 
" likewise to ride in their best livery at their entry into Southvill, on Wytson Monday, and so to 
" procession Te Deum, without the maior and oder thick the contrary because of fouleness of way, 
" or distemperance of the weder. Also the said maiore and his brethren and all the clothing in 
" likewise to ride in their livery when they be comyn home from Southvill on the said Wytson 
" Monday through the town of Nottingh. and the said justices of peace to have their clokes born 
'• after them on horse-back at the same time through the town. 

" This is copyed out of the leiger of 
" Nott. town by me Fran. Leek, 
"■ Preb. de Woodborough." 

From the observance of this custom in times gone by, Deering conjectured that the church of 
Southwell (Southvill, i. e. the vill or toicn to the south) was acknowledged by Nottingham as the 
mother church. Without entering into controversy with our author on the subject of this notion 
of his. which appears so absurd, when we consider the relative connections and importance of the; 
two towns, particularly since Nottingham has been honored with a mayor, I will just observe, that 
the custom we are speaking of seems to have savoured more of ostentation than of submission ; 
and which might be practised for the purpose of impressing- the country people with awe and 
admiration by a display of grandeur and formality ; the rustic simplicity of those times giving full 
scope to such notions of parade ; but which the intercourse of trade, that naturally affiliates the 
different orders in society, has long since rendered ineffectual. 

Deering-, from his anonymous author, has also given us the following- ancient custom : — " By a 

custom," says he, f: time be} ond memory, the mayor and aldermen of the town and their wives 
"■ have been used on Monday in Easter week, morning prayers ended, to march to St. Ann's-well, 
j* having the town waits to play before them, and attended by all the clothing and their wives, i. e. 
f such as have been sheriffs, and ever after wear scarlet gowns, together with the officers of the 
" town, and many other burgesses and gentlemen, such as wish well to the woodward, this meeting- 
'• being at first instituted, and since continued for his benefit." 

That it is not necessary for a gentleman to have served the office of sheriff, in order to his bein°- 
a member of the clothing, and consequently to qualify him for the situation of senior counsellor, I 
have before stated ; the office of chamberlain qualifying for both ; while on the subject of the 

3 Z 



274 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

clothing's scarlet gowns, Deering has the following- remarks : — u By this it seems the sheriffs (by 
" which, taking the text of his author, he means the whole clothing) used to wear scarlet as well as 
** the aldermen ; and an old person informs me, that Mr. John Sherwin, in king Charles the 
" Second's reign, claimed, when sheriff, the .wearing of a scarlet gown, but gave offence in having 
" it made, not like the sheriffs ; but in the fashion of an alderman's gown." 

That the mayor, aldermen, and common counsellors have a right to change the livery of their 
officers, must be readily granted; but, if their officers ever did wear scarlet gowns, my opinion is, 
that it was a custom handed down from the merchants' guild, and practised by the members of their 
council before they became connected with the political body corporate ; and that the latter, when 
they had completely enveloped the former, changed the livery of their superior servants to a more 
humble colour, for the purpose of greater distinguishment between them and the mayor and 
aldermen. 

ELECTION OF THE MAYOR, #c. 

Deering has given us a detailed account of this ceremony ; and, as it corresponds with the 
practice of the present day, except in a few particulars which will be noticed, we will give it in 
our author's own words. — " On the 29th of September in the morning, the aldermen and all those 
" who are upon the clothing assemble at the old mayor's house., who entertains them, besides tea and 
" coffee, with a cold collation, (formerly with hot roasted geese) about ten of the clock they go in 
" their formalities to the church of St Mary, the waits with scarlet cloaks laced with silver, marching 
" and playing before them, where they attend divine service, and hear a sermon preached upon that 
" occasion by one of the ministers of the three parishes, who take their turn as chaplains of the 
" corporation, each of them receiving annually, a free gift of ^20, by the hands of the chamberlains.* 
" Divine service ended, the whole body goes into the vestry, where the old mayor seats himself in 
" an elbow-chair, at a table covered with black cloth, the mace being laid in the middle of it, 
" covered with rosemary and sprigs of bay, (which they term burying the mace,) then the mayor 
" presents the person before nominated to the body, and after it has gone through the votes of all 
" the clothing, the late mayor takes up the mace, kisses it, and delivers it into the hands of the new 
" mayor, with a suitable compliment, who proposes two persons for sheriffs, and two for the office 
" of chamberlains, these having also gone through the votes, the mayor and the rest go into the 
" chancel, where the senior coroner administers the oath to the new mayor, in the presence of the 
" old one; next the town clerk gives to the sheriffs and chamberlains the oath of their office. — 
" The ceremony being thus ended, they march in order as before, to the new hall, [the Exchange- 
*' hall] attended by such gentlemen and tradesmen as have been invited by the new mayor, &c. 
" In their way at the AVeek-day-cross, over against the ancient guild-hall, the town clerk proclaims 
" the mayor and the sheriffs, and the next ensuing market-day, they are again proclaimed, in the 
" face of the whole market at the Malt-cross."f 



• This donation, as has already been noticed, has been discontinued. 

t This, and every other proclamation promulgated in this town, are now made by the town cryer from a window in the front of the Exchange; the 
town clerk standing near him to direct him what he is to say. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 275 



" In former times, as I am credibly informed," continues our author, " hot entertainments, very 
" expensive to the mayor and sheriffs, used to be made, and each at his respective house, used to 
" feast his friends, the one striving to out do the other in splendour ; but of late years those 
" extravagancies are laid aside, and the guests, at the joint expense of the mayor and sheriffs, are 
" welcomed in the long room over the shambles, with bread and cheese and fruit in season, pipes 
" and tobacco, with plenty of wine, punch, and ale if called for. At last the sheriffs present every 
" guest with a large, piece of rich cake, made for that purpose." 

The mayor's feast, as this entertainment was called, on the 29th of September, is now laid aside, 
with the exception of his friends being invited to breakfast with him before he goes to church for 
inauguration. It is customary, however, for the mayor to give four sessions dinners, to two of 
which it would be considered ungentlemanly on his part, if he did not invite all the resident clothing 
of the body corporate. To enable him to meet the expenses of these dinners, and otherwise to 
support the dignity of his office, it was usual for him to receive from the hands of the chamberlains 
one hundred pounds, and likewise the fines levied by the Middieton jury, &c. which generally 
amounted to fifty pounds more; but, in 1804, these fines were either abrogated, or applied to other 
purposes, and the mayor's salary was advanced to two hundred pounds. There is likewise an 
annual meeting in the exchange-hall on the king's birth-day, to drink his majesty's health, the 
expenses of which are defrayed out of the chamber purse. To this meeting the mayor, who 
presides, with the livery servants in waiting, has the exclusive privilege of issuing invitations, which 
generally extend to all the gentlemen and respectable tradesmen in the town.* 

SHERIFFS' COUNT Y COURT OF THE TOWN. 

The words in the charter of Henry the Sixth, which appertain to this court are the following : — 
" And that the sheriffs of the said town, and the precincts thereof, and the other sheriffs for time to 
" come, shall, in future, hold their county court on Monday in every month within the said town, 
" for the said town, and the precincts of the same, in such manner as other sheriffs, at other 
" places within our kingdom, or as other sheriffs of us, our heirs and successors hold, or ought to 
*' hold their county courts in other parts of our kingdom." And, as this subject has an influence 
upon the interest of many who may read this history, we will give Blackstone's statement of 
county courts, which embraces this among the rest. 

" The county court," says our civilian, " is a court incident to the jurisdiction of the sheriff f 
t! It is not a court of record, but may hold pleas of debt or damages under the value of forty 

• A salary of £200, for the ch'ef magistrate of a town, which is generally so profuse in its other departments of public expenditure, and which is so 
populous and important, is insignificant and paltry in the extreme ; particularly when it is considered that that money is barely sufficient to defray the 

expenses of the sessions dinners. Even Doncaster has a mansion-house, with b inquet-room. &c. to give dignity to the office of its chief magistrate. 

It is true, that the new room fitting up at the Exchange will make one of the first banqueting-rooms in the kingdom; but where are the necessarily 
appended cellars, etc. and the means of supplying them with requisites? It is therefore seriously to be wished, that the dignity of the mayor was properly 
supported : for, the cost attending a judicious display of the first magisterial dignity would be more than compensated by the awe and admiration which 
official power would inspire in the prevention of youth'ul lepravity. 

f Two sheriffs and two ceroners were originally elected in Nottingliam,to officiate respectively in the English and French boroughs ; and though the 
latter distinction has ceased, the officers are still elected. 



270 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" shillings. Over some of which causes these inferior courts have, by the express words of the statute 
" of Gloucester, a jurisdiction totally exclusive of the king's superior courts. For in order to be 
" entitled to sue an action of trespass for goods before the king's justiciars, the plaintiff is directed 
" to make affidavit that the cause of action does really and bona fide amount to 40s. which affidavit 
" is now unaccountably disused, except in the Court of Exchequer. The statute also 43. Elizabeth, 
" c. 6. which gives the judges in all personal actions, where the jury assess less damages than 
Ci 40s. a power to certify the same and abridge the plaintiff of his full costs, was also meant to 
" prevent vexation by litigious plaintiffs ; who, for purposes of mere oppression, might be 
<: inclinable to institute suits in the superior courts for injuries of a trifling value. The county 
<f court may also hold plea of many real actions, and of all personal actions to any amount, by 
" virtue of a special writ called a jiisticies ; which is a writ empowering the sheriff, for the sake 
<! of dispatch, to do the same justice in his county court, as might otherwise be had at Westminster. 
" The freeholders of the county are the" real judges in this court, and the sheriff is the ministerial 
" officer. The great conflux of freeholders, which are supposed always to attend at the county 
'• court, is the reason why all acts of parliament at the end of every session were wont to be there 
" published by the sheriff; why all outlawries of absconding offenders are there proclaimed ; and 
" why all popular elections which the freeholders are to make, as formerly of sheriffs and 
" conservators of the peace, and still of coroners, verdurers. and knights of the shire, must even 
" be made in pleno corniialu, or, in full county coilrt. By the statute 2, Edward the Sixth, 
cc c. 25. no county court shall be adjourned longer than for one month, consisting of twenty-eight 
" days. And this was also the ancient usage, as appears from the laws of king Edward the Elder. 
" In those times the county court was a court of great dignity and splendour, the bishop and the 
ic ealdorman (or earl) with the principal men of the shire sitting therein to administer justice both 
" in lay aud ecclesiastical causes, But its dignity was much impaired when the bishop was 
11 prohibited and the earl neglected to attend it. Aud, in modern times, as proceedings are 
" removeable from hence into the king's superior courts, by writ of pone or recordare, in the 
" same manner as from hundred-courts, and courts-baron ; and as the same writ of false judgment 
" may be had, in nature of a writ of error ; this has occasioned the same disuse of bringing- actions 
" therein." The Nottingham county court is held in guild-hall every fourth Wednesday.* 

MAYORs AND SHERIFFS' COURT 

FOR THE TOWN AND COUNTY OF THE TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM, 

Sometimes also called the King's Court of Record^ 
It is held by charter from the crown of the 27th of Henry the Sixth, in the following words : — 
" And that the said burgesses of the said town and their successors for ever, hold a court, at their 



* An application was made (o parliament by (lie tradesmen of this town, in February . 1785, for a bill to establish a court of conscience for the easy 
recovery of small debts, which was rei'used on the ground of the existence of th corporate court above named, and its application to the object 
petitioned for; and on the ground of such a bill interfering with the chartered rights of the town. A court of conscience would not only be 
unconstitutional here, but it has uothing of conscience iu its practice but the uame. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 277 



w pleasure, of all and singular contracts, covenants, and trespasses, as well against the peace as 
~ otherwise, and of all other things, causes, and matters whatsoever, arising within the said town 

* and the precincts thereof, except as before excepted, to be held from day to day in the guild-hall 
'* of the said town, before the mayor of the said town, or his deputy, and his sheriffs of the same 

* for the time being. &c." 

Bat, as this court is of such importance to a very considerable part of the inhabitants of this 
town, and not unfrequently so to non-residents; and as its rules of practice are so little known, even 
to attorneys themselves, except those that receive instructions from the steward of the court, I will 
give a copy of the instructions thus furnished, with which I was favored by a gentleman connected 
with the law, which runs as follows : — 

COPY 

This court is held on the Wednesday every fortnight before the mayor and sheriffs, who are its judges. It is a court, 
of record, and holds pleas of all actions whether real, personal, or mixt, to any amount, arising within the county of 
the town of Nottingham. It is of infinite service in the easy and speedy recovery of small debts, and in the recovery 
of possessions when withheld from the owners, and who otherwise could have no redress, except at the expense of 
nearly one-fifth of the value of the property withheld. The judges depute a steward, for the purpose of issuing writs 
of capias,* the only mesne process of the court on the requisition of any person, and for filing its proceedings, and 
recording its judgments. There are two Serjeants at mace, who attend the court and execute the process, and who are 
considered ministerial officers. To them it belongs to take bail or pledges for the appearance of any debtor when 
arrested; and they and the sureties, which they give to the sheriffs annually, are answerable for the responsibility of 
the pledges. These pledges arc in the nature of special bail ; and the same proceedings are had against them as against 
the persons who are special bail in the courts above. The steward is the under sheriff of the town; and, on the 
election of the new officers by the body corporate, at Michaelmas annually, he is appointed by the mayor and sheriffs, 
and takes an oath which is administered to him by the town clerk. All the attorneys who reside in Nottingham have 
a right to practice therein ; but none who reside at a distance have been suffered so to do, as a matte?- of right ; 
although attorneys are not admitted and sworn in this court, as in some others. All attorneys administer oaths of a 
debt, service of process, &c. but they ought regularly to have a commission so to do, although that is always dispensed 
with. The rules for conducting the proceedings in this court are as follows, viz.- — 

That, whenever any debtor shall be arrested and taken to gaol, on process of this court, the plaintiff shall be obliged 
to file a declaration against him at the next court day after his being taken to gaol, and shall enter with the steward a 
rule for the debtor to plead thereto ; providing four days shall have passed between such debtor's going to gaol, and 
such court day (the day of going to gaol and the court day excluded ;) and if four days shall not have intervened, then 
at the first court after such four clear days shall have passed. And such plaintiff shall proceed, at the first court after 
such declaration is filed, to enter in the steward's book a peremptory rule for the defendant to plead ; and at the 
second court, after the declaration is filed, shall sign his interlocutory judgment ; having first given the defendant 
personally, or left with the gaoler for him, a notice in writing in the usual form, of the declaration being filed eight 
days previous thereto, the day of giving the notice included, and the day of signing the interlocutory judgment 
excluded. And, on such judgment being signed, shall enter into the steward's book a notice of executing the inquiry 
the next court day ; and shall give to such prisoner personally, or leave with the gaoler for him, a notice in writing in 
the usual form, and the time and place of such inquiry being intended to be executed eight days previous thereto, the 



• The literal meaning of this word is, " You take to satisfy. " It is a writ authorizing the capture or seiaure of a defeniant ; but in practice it is 
dirided into two sort3. First, Capias ad respondendum, " You take to answer." — A writ issuing to take the defendant for the purpose of making 
him answerable to the plaintiff. Secondly, Capias ad satisfaciendum, " You take to satisfy.' 1 — A writ of execution after judgment, empowering the 
•fficer to -take and detain the body of the defendant until satisfaction be made to the plaintiff.— The Author. 

4 A 



278 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



day of giving noticejncludcd, and the day of inquiry being excluded ; and shall proceed to execute his inquiry accordingly 
after such next court after interlocutory judgment signed ; and shall proceed to sign final judgment and charge the 
defendant in execution on the next succeeding court day after inquiry executed, otherwise the defendant, in fault of 
any one of such proceedings, at the above times, shall be discharged at the court day, after such neglect made, on 
motion, and entering a common appearance to the action. That no notice of declaration or inquiry shall be of any 
effect, unless the declaration shall be previously lodged with the steward, and the judgment regularly signed in the 
steward's book. That, in case a prisoner shall plead a demurrer to any declaration or other proceedings, the plaintiff 
shall proceed to reply, or join in demurrer at the next court after such plea or demurrer is filed ; and, if such prisoner 
shall rejoin, the plaintiff shall file his rebutter at the next court day after the rejoinder is filed; and that whenever any 
issue of law or fact is tendered to the plaintiff he shall join therein at the next court after it is offered in any proceeding 
by any prisoner; and that such plaintiff shall give to such prisoner personally, or leave with the gaoler for him, a 
notice in writing in the usual form (issues not being delivered in this court) of the cause being intended to be tried, or 
demurrer argued, at the next court after SHch issue is joined eight days previous tficreto, the one inclusive, and the 
other exclusive; and shall not afterwards countermand such notice of trial or argument. And that, if the verdict be 
given for the plaintiff, he shall sign final judgment thereon, and charge the defendant in execution on the next court 
day after such verdict given. And that if any plaintiff shall neglect any one of the above proceedings at the above 
times, the defendant shall, on motion to, and order of this conrt^ entering a common appearance to the action, bo 
discharged. That in ail actions, where the defendant shall be served with a copy of process of this court, or shall 
have given pledges for his appearance, the plaintiff shall be allowed as much time to proceed as he thinks proper, so as 
not to exceed one year from the time the action is commenced, providing the defendant does not object thereto. But 
the defendant shall always have it in his power to nonpros* the plaintiff in any stage of the cause previous to issue 
being joined, and having given two rules in the steward's book for him to declare, reply, + surrejoin, surrebut, or join 
issue on two several court days, previous to the court at which such judgment of nonpros is signed. That before anv 
plaintiff shall be permitted to sign interlocutory judgment against the defendant he shall have first entered in the 
steward's book two rules to plead, rejoin, or rebut, at two several court days previous to such judgment being signed, 
and given to, or left for the defendant at his last, or usual place of abode, if he shall not have entered an appearance ; 
but if he shall not have entered such appearance then with his attorney, or at his place of abode, eight days notice of a 
declaration having been filed against such defendant in the action, in the usual form, the day of giving such notice to 
be considered inclusive, and the day of signing the judgment exclusive; and, before any inquiry shall be executed in 
any cause, a like notice shall be given. That in causes where the defendant is not in custody, the plaintiff's attorney 
shall give the defendant's attorney eight days notice of trial in the usual form, (issues not being delivered in this court) 
the one of such days to be accounted inclusive, and the other exclusive. And that, if the plaintiff shall not proceed 
to trial, nor countermand by notice in writing, to be left with the defendant's attorney, or at his place of abode, four 
days before such intended trial, one of such days inclusive, and the other exclusive, the plaintiff shall pay unto the 
defendant the like costs as if such notice of trial had not been countermanded, to be taxed by the steward; and he 
shall not be permitted to proceed to trial until such costs are paid. That upon any issue being joined, if the plaintiff's 
attorney shall not within two court days then after give notice of trial, and within three court days proceed to try the 
same, the defendant's attorney may, the third court, enter a rule for the plaintiff to try such issue the fourth court day; 
aud in the mean time to give the usual notice of eight days thereof. And if the plaintiff's attorney shall not give such 
notice, then, at the fourth day, or any subsequent court, notice of trial by proviso may be entered in the steward's 
book by the defendant's attorney, who may proceed to give the plaintiff's attorney the like notice of trial for the fifth, 

* On the meaning of this compound, and yet abbreviated word, Blackstone speaks as follows, under the head, " Private Wrongs :"— For, if the 
plaintiff neglects to deliver a declaration for two terms after the defendant appears, or is guilty of other delays or defaults against the rules of law in 
any subsequent stage of the action-, he is adjudged not to follow or pursue his remedy as he ought to do, and therefore a nonsuit, or non prosequitur, 
is entered ; and he is said to be nonprossed. And thus deserting his complaint, after making a false claim or complaint (pro falso clamore suo) he 
shall not only pay costs to the defendant, but 1s liable to be amerced to the king. 

t Surrejoin— A reply to a rejoinder— Surrebut— A reply to a rebutter. 



GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 279 



or any subseq;fent court, as he himself was entitled to before the plaintiff could have tried such cause ; and having 
given such notice, may proceed to trial thereon, at such fifth, or any subsequent court accordingly. That if a defendant 
surrender himself in discharge of the pledges, or his attorney shall give notice thereof unto the plaintiff's attorney, 

from which time the proceedings must be carried on, conformable to the rules for proceeding against a prisoner. 

That no scire facias* shall issue against any pledge or pledges until after a capias ad satisfaciendum has been issued, 
and lodged eight days inclusive in the hands of one of the Serjeants at mace previous to the return thereof. That a 
copy of such scire facias shall be served on each of such pledges, at least six clear days, both exclusive, before the 
return thereof, and before it shall be returned scire fesi. And that if the defendant is surrendered in discharged of 
his pledges, at any time before the return of the second scire facias, and before the return of the first, if returned, 
seire facias, or on the return day cedenle curia, \ the pledges be discharged. That, in causes in ejectment, only one 
rule shall be entered to plead, reply, &c. before judgment shall be signed. That no longer time be allowed to a 
plaintiff or a defendant than is specified in the above mentioned rules, except by leave of the court, on sufficient cause 
shewn. That before final judgment shall be signed upon any cognovit actionem,^ or on confession of the damages 
which any plaintiff has sustained, an affidavit shall be filed with the steward of this court of the due execution of such 
confession of judgment and damages, together therewith. That no plaintiff be permitted to discontinue any action, 
but on motion to, and by leave of the court. That no declaratory plea, or plea in abatement be admitted to be filed 
after an imparlance. § That no rule be made for bringing 'up any insolvent debtor on his petition for receiving the 
benefit of the Lords' Act within less than six weeks of such petition being filed. 

TOJVJY JVATCH. 

When we consider the vast sums of money annually expended in the internal government of the 
town, which are exacted under the name of county or town rates, astonishment is naturally excited 
at seeing the watch, pitiful in point of number, under the necessity of being- maintained by 
voluntary contribution ; while the great bulk of the inhabitants, whose situations in life prevent their 
uniting in this necessary measure of self-defence, are exposed to the depredations of those misguided 
mortals whose guilty purposes induce them to set the vengeance of the laws at defiance, for want 
#f nocturnal guardians. And, without, in the slightest degree, intending to impugn the conduct, 
views, intentions, or pursuits of the magistracy, I feel it a duty incumbent upon me to give it as my 
opinion, as an impartial observer and narrator, that there is more money expended in detecting, 
supporting, securing, and prosecuting delinquents and supposed delinquents, than, if partially 
otherwise applied, would prevent a great part of the robberies from being committed. My opinion 
may be founded in error of judgment; but that error of judgment (supposing it to be so) never can 
be made manifest without practical application. And, it is an axiom, founded on the broad principles 
of moral justice, that every crime which is committed, that might have been prevented by a 
judicious management of the means commensurate with the necessity of the case, is a breach made 
in the moral system of society by those whose duty it is to keep the fabric in repair. For crimes 
not only contaminate youth by example, in the divergency of their baneful allurements, as the 



• A writ which orders a defendant to shew cause why execution shall not be made out of a judgment which has passed against him. 
+ During the sitting of the court. 

X This in law is. where a defendant confesses the plaintiffs cause of action against him to be just and true : and, after issue, suffers judgment to bi 
entered against him without trial. 
§ Imparlance., in this case, means a motion for respite to put in an answer. 



2S0 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ignis-fatuus, or foolish fire, leads the inexperienced into its native quagmires, but they add greatly 
to the weight of local taxation ; and they swell most materially and fatally the masses of human 
misery and disgrace, by partially involving whole families and unsuspicious connections in their 
consequences. They also prevent their perpetrators from performing that duty in society which 
nature intended them to perform. 

But, supposing that a well-regulated nightly watch would prevent the commission of many 
crimes, and their appalling consequences, in this town, the magistrates are not to be blamed for 
not having enforced the measure ; for, as it would be attended with considerable expense, the 
captious and illnatured would attribute to them motives of oppression and unbridled authority, if 
they enforced it, and carefully keep back, as far as their means afforded, all investigation into the 
happy consequences likely to result. Therefore, it is the duty of the housekeepers at large to 
petition the bench at the quarter sessions on the subject ; in which case, there can be little doubt 
of such petition meeting with due attention. 

The reader will judge for himself, whether this town is properly watched during the night, 
when he considers that about 35,000 inhabitants are scattered through upwards of 400 streets, 
lanes, &c. and that nine or ten men, four of whom watch the market-place, are employed to walk 
almost twenty streets. In 1815, in consequence of the numerous depredations committed in 
several streets, where no watch was kept, the housekeepers therein obtained permission to be 
sworn in the capacity of special constables, and, by taking their turns as watchmen of the night, 
have preserved the neighbourhood in security.* 

The anonymous author, to whom Deering so frequently alludes, gives the following account of 
a watch, which was anciently kept here, and continued till the troubles in the reign of Charles the 
First: — " In this town," says this writer, ' f by an ancient custom, they keep yearly a general 
"watch every Midsummer eve at night, to which every inhabitant of any ability sets forth a man, 
" as well volunteers as those who are charged with arms, with such munition as they have ; 
cc some pikes, some muskets, calivers, or other guns, some partisans, halberts, and such as have 
" armour send their servants in their armour. The number of these are yearly almost two 
u hundred, who at sun-setting meet on the Row, the most open part of the town, where the 
" mayor's serjeant at mace gives them an oath, the tenor whereof followeth in these words." To 
" wit. "They shall well and truly keep this town till to-morrow at sun-rising; you shall come 
" into no house without license or cause reasonable. Of all manner of casualties, of fire, or crying 
" of children, you shall due warning make to the parties, as the case shall require you. You shall 
" due search make of all manner of affrays, bloodsheds, outcries, and of all other things that be 
" suspected. You shall due presentment make of the same, either to Mr. Mayor, the sheriffs, or 
" other officers. If any strangers come to the town, well and demeanably to behave yourself to 
" them courteously, and to entreat them, and to bring them to their Inns, and well and secretly 
" keep the watch, and other things that belong to the same watch, well and truly do, to your 
" cunning and power." 



* In (lie Bridlesmifh-gate round (here is a timepiece, called a superintender lo which, if the watchman do not apply a key every half hour, it will 
inform its keeper in the mornixig, that the nightly guardian has not done his duty. 



LIST OF THE MAYORS. 



281 



This farcical display of nocturnal guardianship,which, annually, had its inauguration, amplification, 
and quietus during the course of one of the shortest nights in the year, is further illustrated by the 
writer in question in the following words: — "One reason, besides the points of the oath 
** rendered for this custom is, to keep their armour clean and fair, with all their accoutrements, fit 
" and ready to use upon any sudden occasion. In this business the fashion is for every watchman 
tc to wear a garland, made in the fashion of a crown imperial, bedecked with flowers of various 
" kinds, some natural, some artificial, bought and kept for that purpose, as also ribands, jewels, and 
" for the better garnishing whereof, the townsmen use the day before,to ransack the gardens of all 
" the gentlemen with six or seven miles about Nottingham, besides what the town itself afford* 
iC them, their greatest ambition being to out do one another in the bravery of their garlands." 

This custom seems to have been lost in the regular military watch during the conflict between 
Charles and the people, and that, in its turn, having ceased with the troubles which gave it birth, 
the corporation subsequently employed four watchmen, who, for want of some superior active 
power to watch them, became so remiss in their duty, that they were discontinued. And, in 
consequence of the numerous depredations committed, after the conclusion of the American war. 
the inhabitants in general, in the year 1788, formed themselves into associations for mutual defence, 
They accordingly agreed that every housekeeper should, in person or by deputy, watch a night in 
rotation, in such parties as the respective associations agreed upon This system, however, soon 
fell to the ground, as the poor found it a task frequently violatory of their necessary" avocations. — 
And the more wealthy adopted the plan which is now in use; and which is go inadequate to the 
general security of the inhabitants. 

MA YOMS, 

An imperfect list of the mayors of Nottingham from 1284 to 1589, the first five I having been 
enabled to add to the lists hitherto published, and which, of course embrace the first mayor ; for 
though the charter of Edward the First, that grants the privilege of choosing a burgess to that 
high office, was signed in 1283, yet the first mayor was not elected till St. Michael's-day in 1284. 



1284 Roger de Crophill 
1*286 Hugonc le Fleming 

1294 Johannes le Pannier 

1295 Johannes de Fleming 

1296 Randulphus Hufton 
1302 Johannes fil' de le Paumer 
1314 Robert Ingram 

1330 Nicholas de Shelford 
1332 Lawrence le Spicer ; 

1334 William de Amyas 

1335 Roger de Botchal 
1340 Ralph de Wolaton 
1367 John Samon 

1370 John Saumon 
1379 John de Plumptre 
1382 John Samon 



1384 John Samon 

1389 John de Crowshagh 

1390 John de Croweshawe 
13gl Henry de Normanton 

1393 William Huntsman 

1394 John de Plumptre 
1399 John tie Tannesley 
1404 Robeit Glade 
1412 Robert Glade 
1415 Thomas Kay 
1422 Thomas Poge 
1425 William Stokes 
1427 John de Plumptre 
1429 William Broadhelm 

1437 John de Plumptre 

1438 William Webster 

4 B 



1441 William Halifax 
1444 Thomas Alastre 
1447 Gualfrid Knyveton 
1449 Thomas Thurland 
1458 Thomas Thurland 
1467 John Hunt 

1469 Thomas Alastre 

1470 Robert Englishe 

1471 Thomas Lockton 
1475 Thomas Hunt 

1486 William Hyggyn 

1487 Richard Ody 

1506 Richard Melle ura 

1507 Richard Pykerdc 
1522 Thomas Mellors 
1544 John Plumptre 



282 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



] 548 Robert Lovat 
1551 Thomas Cockayne 
1557 William Atkynson 
1571 John Gregory 
1574 Robert Burton 



1576 Henry Newton 

1577 Richard James 

1578 William Scot 

1580 Robert Alvcy 

1581 Robert Burton 



1584 Peter Clarke 

1585 William Scot 

1586 John Gregory 

1587 Robert Alvey 

1588 Robert Marsh 



A 

1590 John Brownlow 

1591 Peter Clarke 

1592 William Scot 

1593 William Trott 

1594 Robert Alvey 

1595 Richard Hurt 

1596 Richard Morehaghe 

1597 Peter Clarke 

1598 Anker Jackson 
1599 

1600 Humphrey Bonner 
1601 

1602 Richard Hurt 

1603 Richard Morehaghe 

1604 Richard Welsh 

1605 A'nker Jackson 

1606 William Freeman 

1607 Humphrey Bonner 

1608 Robert Staples 

1609 Richard Hurt 

1610 Richard Morehaghe 

1611 Richard Welsh 

1612 Anker Jackson 

1613 William Freeman 
'1614 Marmed Gregory 

1615 Robert Staples 

1616 Thomas Nix 

1617 Leonard Nix 
1618 

1619 Anker Jackson 

1620 Marmeduke Gregory 

1621 Richard Parker 

1622 Robert Staples 

1623 Robert Sherwin 

1624 Leonard Nix 

1625 Stephen Hill 



more perfect 

\ 1626 



I 

S 

s 

I 



1627 
1628 
1629 
1630 
1631 
1632 
1633 
1634 
1635 

: 1636 
1537 

■ 1638 
1639 
1640 
1641 
1642 
1643 
1644 
1645 
1646 
1647 
1648 
1649 
1650 
1651 
1652 
1653 
1654 
1655 
1656 
1657 
1658 
1659 
1660 
1661 



list, from 1590 to 

Peter Parker 
John James 
Richard Parker 
Alexander Staples 
Robert Sherwin 
Leonard Nix 
William Gregory 
Robert Parker 
John James 
Richard Hardmeat 
William Nix 
Robert Sherwin 
Robert Burton 
William Gregory 
William Drury 
John James 
Richard Hardmeat 
William Nix 
William Nix 
Thomas Gamble 
John James 
William Drury 
William Richards 
Wiljiam Nix 
Thomas Gamble 
Richard Dring 
William Drury 
Francis Toplady 
John Parker . 
Thomas Huthwaite 
William Richards 
Thomas Gamble 
Richard Dring . 
William Drury 
Francis Toplady 
John Parker 



the present time. 

1662 Christopher Hall 

1663 William Greaves 

1664 Ralph Edge 

1665 William Jackson 

1666 Richard Hodgekins 

1667 Joseph Wright 

1668 John Parker 

1669 Christopher Hall 

1670 William Greaves 

1671 Ralph Edge 

1672 William Jackson 

1673 Richard Hodgekins 

1674 Joseph Wright 

1675 John Parker 

1676 Christopher Hall 

1677 William Greaves 

1678 Ralph Edge 

1679 John Parker 

1680 Gervas Rippon 

1681 Gervas Wyld 

1682 William Toplady 

1683 Christopher Hall 

1684 William Petty 

1685 Robert' Wortley 

1686 John Parker 
C Gervas Rippon 

1687*^ John Sherwin 

^George Langford 

1688 George Langford 

1689 Charles Harvey 

1690 John Hawkins 

1691 Joseph Turpin 

1692 William Greaves 

1693 Thomas Trigge 

1694 Arthur Richards 

1695 John Hoe 



* Gervas Rippon and five aldermen were this year excluded from the corporation by a quo warranto of James the Second, for opposing his infractions 
upon the people's liberties ; John Sherwin and George Langford were two of their successors ; the former was made mayor, but dying, he was succeeded 
by the latter in that office, and continued in it the following year. 



LIST OF THE MAYORS. 



283 



1696 Francis Samon 

1697 Samuel Leland 

1698 William Greaves 

1699 Thomas Collin 

1700 Samuel WatkiDSon 

1701 John Rickards 

1702 John Peake 

1703 Samuel Smith 

1704 William Barke 

1705 John Shipman 

1706 Francis Samon 

1707 William Drury 

1708 Samuel Watkiuson 

1709 John Peake 

1710 Samnel Smith 

1711 Benjamin Green 

1712 William Barke 

1713 John Collin 

1714 John Shipman 

1715 Thomas Hawksley* 
Samuel Watkinson 

1716 John Sherwin 

1717 Thomas Trigge 

1718 Marmaduke Pennel 

1719 Richard Beam 

1720 William Bilbie 

1721 Benjamin Green 

1722 Alexander Burden 

1723 Thomas Trigge 

1724 Marmaduke Pennel 

1725 Richard Beam 

1726 William Bilbie 

1727 Joseph Walters 

1728 Benjamin Green 

1729 Alexander Burden 

1730 William Trigge 

1731 Thomas Triggef 

1732 John Huthwaite 

1733 Thomas Langford 

1734 William Bilbie 

1735 Benjamin Green 

1736 Alexander Burden 



1737 William Trigge 

1738 John Newton 

1739 James Huthwaite 

1740 Thomas Langford 

1741 Alexander Burden 

1742 William Trigge 

1743 John Hornbuckle 

1744 John Burton 

1745 Henry Butler 

1746 James Huthwaite 

1747 Thomas Langford 

1748 William Trigge 

1749 John Hornbuckle 

1750 John Burton 

1751 Henry Butler 

1752 James Huthwaite 

1753 Thomas Langford 

1754 William Trigge 

1755 Samuel Fellows 

1756 John Burton 

1757 Cornelius Huthwaite 

1758 Henry Butler 

1759 p aaC W ? ld 
'Thomas Langford 

1760 Robert Huish 

1761 James Hornbuckle 

1762 Humphrey Hollins 
176.1 Cornelius Huthwaite 

1764 Henry Butler 

1765 William Cooper 

1766 Robie Swann 

1767 James Hornbuckle 

1768 William Faulds 

1769 Humphrey Hollins 
1774 Richard Butler 

1771 Cornelius Huthwaite 

,„„*> fHenrv Butler 

1772 < 

(Richard Butler 

1773 Thomas Oldknow 

1774 John Carruthers 

1775 John Fellows 

1776 Thomas Sands 



1777 Richard Butler 

1778 Thomas Oldknow 

1779 William Huthwaite 

1780 John Smellie 

1781 John Carruthers 

1782 John Fellows 

1783 Richard Butler 

1784 William Howitt 

1785 William Huthwaite 

1786 John Carruthers 

1787 Joseph Lowe 

1788 William Howitt 

1789 5 William S mith + 
I Richard Butler 

1790 John Fellows 

1791 William Huthwaite 

1792 Joseph Oldknow 

1793 Henry Green 

1794 Thomas Caunt 

1795 Benjamin Hornbuckle 

1796 William Howitt 

1797 Joseph Lowe 

1798 Thomas OldknOw 

1799 Joseph Oldknow 

1800 Samuel Worthington 

1801 John Davison 

1802 Benjamin Hornbuckle 

1803 Stokeham Huthwaite 

1804 John Ashwell 

1805 Edward Swann 

1806 John Allen 
1S07 Joseph Lowe 

1808 William Howitt 

1809 Wright Coldham 

1810 John Bates 

181 1 William Wilson 

1812 Edward Swann 

1813 John Allen 

1814 John Ashwell 

1815 Charles Lomas Morley 



* The cause of Mr. Hawksley's expulsion will be noticed in a more proper place. 

t In one of the Mayoralties of Thomas Trigge. he, according to tradition, caused a woman to be placed in the Cuckstool for prostitution, and left 
her to the mercy of a foolish mob ; through which she lost her life, and he was prosecuted, and the Cuckstool taken down. 
X Mr. Smith resigned to avoid the consequences of a prosecution for holding the office, without having taken the Test Oath-. 



2&4 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



LIST of SHERIFFS for the TOJVJY of NOTTINGHAM 

FROM THE EARLIEST RECORDS NOW EXTANT. 



157+ Robtus Phypps 

1576 Edws Burton, Thomas Donycliffe 

1577 Humfrus Bonar, Georgius Hutchinson 

1578 Georgius Widowson, Johes Curson 

1579 Thorns Reve, Ricus Tomlynson 

1580 Robt. Yorke, Simon Pyckerd 
15S1 Willius Pyggen, Roger Wood 

1582 Willius Greves Ricus Hurte 

1583 Robtus Small, Robtus Hallame 

1584 Thomas Huthwayte, Anker Jackson 

1585 Johes. Hall, Thomas Wallys 

1586 Ezachias Newhold, Hen Donne 
1537 Johes Noden, Nichus Sherwyn 

1588 Edwardus Goodwyn, Robtus Stables 

1589 Ricus Parlebye, Radus Shawe 

1590 Willius Freemane, Nichas Baguley 

1591 Edws Jowett, Leondus Nixe 

1592 Johes Johnson, Ricus Welche 

1593 Tho. Drurie, Ricus Recklesse 

1594 Martinus James, Willius Widdoson 

1595 Willus Langhford, Willius Wylson 

1596 Willius Knyveton, Georgius Stockley 

1597 Henricus Scott, Willius Pynder 

1598 Franciscus Rollston, Henrictis illvey 

1599 Jacobus Hobson, Ricus Parker 

1600 Jacobus Wolfe, Johes Parker 

lfioi Thomas Hill, Marmaducus Gregory 

1602 Robtus Sherwyn, Jacobus Rotherham 

1603 Willius Littlefare Willius Hynde 

1604 Thomas Nyx, Robtus Parker 

1605 Robtus Freeman, Antonius Gamble 
160G Ricus Rechlesse, Georgius Ryley 

1607 Thomas Morley, Robtus Heald 

1608 Nichas Sherwyn, Johes Dalton 

1609 Jacobus Seele, Ricus Hare 
161-0 Lodovicus Oxley, Stephus Hill 

l6l I Georgius Walker, Henr. Bangley, or Baguley 
J612 Willius Clarke, Percivallus Millington 

1613 Ricus Jowett, Joseph Allvey 

1614 Jo. Perrye, Willius Ludlam 

1 61 5 Willius Rockett, Willius Hnnt 

1616 Samuel Burrows, Willius James 

1617 Michael Coke, Hugo Verdon 

J 61 8 Willius Grcgoriej Johes James 



1619 Willius Mastyn, Willius Nyxe 

1620 Robtus Bugge, Edwdus Morrice 

1621 Gabriel Bateman, Cuthbert Vayn 

1622 Willius Parker, Rogerus Derbyshire 

1623 Willius Hopkyn, Willus Lupton 

1624 Thomas Cooke, Willius Littlefare 

1625 Richus Collishawe, Johes Dodsley 

1626 Willius Stainey, Robtus Egginton 

1627 Alex Staples, Robtus Graves 
162} Richard Hardmett, Robtus Harris 

1629 Edws Richards, Johes Poynton 

1630 Richus Dringge, Willius Frost 

1631 Francis Toplady, Richus Hare 

1632 Gabriel Groves, Jacobus Beardsley 

1633 Edwas Bampton, Willus Wattson 

1634 Homfridus Greaves, Ranulphus Millner 

1635 Willius Richards, Willius Drewrie 

1636 Thomas Wolley, Richus Turpyna 

1637 Thomas Malen, Thomas Millner 

1 638 Josephus Winfield, Thomas Jackson 

1639 Henric James, Thomas Gamble 

1640 Johannes Cooper, Willus Parker 

1641 Johes Sherwin, Willius Sherwin 

1642 Johes Tomlyn, Georgius Allsebrook 

1643 Richus Hyder, Paulus Hooton 
(644 Thomas Smyth, Willius Bayley 

1645 Johes Fillingham, Adrian Garner, or Canner 
16+6 Johes Parker, Thomas Huthwaite 

1647 Ricus Whitby, Willius R } !eye 

1 648 Thomas Green, Robert Smylh 

1649 Johes Reckless, Ricus Watkiuson 

1650 Joshuah Hill, Willius Halt 

1651 Edmund Richards, Robert Malyn 

1652 Robert Saxton, Barnaby Warfnabye 

1653 Thomas Cooper, Brownlowe Egginton 

1654 Daniel Sulley, Francis Cocke 

1655 Roger Riley, Richard Smith 

J 6*6 Richard Crampton, John Smalley 

1657 William Pettyc, William Lealand 

1658 William Parker, John Toplady 

1659 William Drewrie, Isaak Malyn 

1660 Adrian Cooke, Samuel Ryley 

1661 Ricus Hodgskyn, Willius Barton 

1662 William Toplady 



LIST OF SHERIFFS FOR THE TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM. 



285 



1663 
1664 
1665 
1666 
1667 
J 668 
1669 
1670 
1671 
1672 
1673 
1674 
1675 
1676 
1677 
1678 
1679 
1680 
1681 
1682 
1683 
1684 
1685 
1686 
1687 
1688 
1689 
1690 
1691 
1692 
1693 
1694 
1695 
1696 
1697 
1698 
1699 
1700 
1701 
1702 
1703 
1704 
1705 
1706 
1707 
1708 
1709 
1710 



Xtoferus Hall, Gervasius Rippon 



Robtus Kirkbye, Johes Rawson 
Jos Clay, Edus White 
Gervasius Wilde, Samuel Richards 
Benjaminus Richards, Radus Bennett 
Arthurus Rcccards, Willus White 
Ricus Smyth, Robtus Coulson 
Willus Wilde, Johes Parker 
Samuel Smith, Francis Salmon 
Hugo Walker, Adrian Gamble 
Thomas Muxlow, Robtus Worthely 
Willus Coulton, Harroldus Smyth 

Willus Woolhouse, Franciscus Sumner 

— Shir (supposed) John Shirwin, Saml. Lealand 

Robert Green, Jo Malyn 

Robtus Peache, Johes Whitby 

Johes Peach, Johes Huthwaite 

Thomas Lee, Johes Shipman 

Willius Jackson, John Uuwyn 

H. Hardy, S. Partridge 

Johes Scattergood, Rich. Wright 

John Huthwaite, George Cooke 

Samuel Watkinson, William Cockle 

William Orme, William Bains 

Jacobus Huthwaite, Benjamin Green 

Johes Hoe, Edrus Hickling 

Samuel Smith, Fr. Armstrong 

John Kitchin, William Barke 

Roger Radfortb, Robert Linley 

Robert Harrison, John Grevas 

Thomas James, Robert Allicock 

Thomas Lovet, John Richards 

Francis Metham, George Frith 

Joseph Cooke, William Bilby 

Richard Beam, Alexander Burden 

John Reynolds, John CoIIia 

William Johnson, Thomas Hawksley 
William Drury, Robert Brentnall 
William Rippon, Francis Smith 
Lionel Lamb, Thomas White 
Jacob Tibson, Thomas Fillingham 
Alvery Dodsley, Matthew Hoy! and 
Robert Hoyes, Thomas Trigge 



1711 John Sherwin, John Sweetapple 

1712 Gervas Pilkinton, Joseph Hemus 

1713 John Huthwaite, Bartholomew Hallam 

1714 Marmaduke Pennell 

1715 Robert Egginton, Lawrence Burn 

1716 John Newton, Wm. Shepherd, John Radforth 

1717 Joseph Walters 

1718 Jonathan Truman, Ricus Smith 

1719 Willus Garton, Samuel Poe 

1720 William Robenson, Edmund Wildbore 

1721 John Burton, Robert Egginton 

1722 James Hoe, James Huthwaite, junior 

1723 Nathaniel Charnell, John Hornbuckle 

1724 Samuel Harris, John Poe 

1725 John Morley, William Bilbie, junior 

1726 Richard Wheldon, Roger Radforth 

1727 John Harnill, Joseph Inglesant 

1728 Jonathan Freeman, junior, Henry Butler 

1729 John Wood, Samuel Fellows 

1730 Stephen Egginton, Cornelius Huthwaite 

1731 John Foxcroft, John Bilbie 

1732 Thomas Langford, Leavis Sherwin 

1733 Isaac Wylde, Joseph Finch 

1734 Francis Parkyns, Joseph Smith 

1735 Joseph Wright, Joseph Bilbie 

1736 James Dymock, Robert Huish 

1737 Charles Morley, James Hornbuckle 

1738 Thomas Shaw, Joseph Wright 

1739 Humphrey Hollins, Samuel Wood 

1740 William Cooper, John Sherbrook, junior 

1741 Alexander Burden, junior, Benjamin Bull 

1742 James Huthwaite, junior, Robie Swann 

1743 William Goodwin, William Foulds 

1744 John Killingly, junior, Thomas Haywood 

1745 John Oldknow, John Sands 

1746 Thomas Cotes, Thomas Oldknow 

1747 John Plumptre, junior, William Cotton 

1748 John Eggerton, Humphrey Cox 

1749 Benjamin Mather, Richard Butler 

1750 Jonathan Dodson, William Seagrave, fozpn clerk 

1751 Thomas Worthington, John Carruthers 

1752 John Blackwell, Thomas Spibye 

1753 John Fellows, Thomas Sands 

1754 W. Huthwaite, R. Seagrave, town clerk in 175$ 

1755 John Smellie, John Inglesant 

1756 Mark Huish, Alexander Foxcroft 

1757 John Wilson, Robert Foulds 

1758 Robert Hall, John Wells 



4 C 



286 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



1759 John Foxcroff, Joseph Stubbins 

1760 James Foxcroft, George Dodson 
17G1 John Pad ley, William Howitt 

1762 Benjamin Foxcroft, Matthew Whitlock 

1763 Isaac Wylde, Joseph Lowe 

1764 Benjamin Hombuckle, John Sands 

1765 William Betdson, Benjamin Mather 

1766 John Doncaster. William Smith, junior 

1767 Henry Hollins, George Sands 

1768 Thomas Oldknow, junior^ Michael Hayes 

1769 Joseph Heath, Joseph Oldknow 

1770 Samuel Eaton, John Oldknow 

1771 William Wells, Henry Green 

1772 John Wells, Robert Cox 

1773 George Burbage, John Collishaw, junior 

1774 Ralph Newham, William Heath, junior 

1775 Edward Chatteris, Samuel Newham 

1776 Smith Churchill, Tertius Dale 

1777 Sir George Smith, Baronet, Samuel Statham 

1778 Samuel Heywood, Robert Summers 

1779 Samuel Worthington, Samuel Green 

1780 John Buxton, junior, John Ball Mason 

1781 John Fellows, junior, John Hancock 

1782 Thomas Caunt, Thomas Wright Watson 

1783 Henry Keyworth, John Need 

1784 Edward Swann, Alexander Strahan 

1785 John Heath, George Dodson, junior 

1786 Stokcham Huthwaite, Thomas Hawksley 

1787 John Davison, Thomas Nelson 

1788 Timothy Fellows, William Huthwaite, junior 

1789 Joseph Hurst Lowe, Joseph Heath 

1790 John Whitlock, Elihu Samuel Fellows 

1791 William Doncaster, John Stone 

1792 Thomas Wilde, Thomas Pepper 

1793 Nathaniel Whitlock, Thomas Carpenter Smith 



1794 Thomas Richards, Henry Green, juuior* 

1795 John Allen, John Ashwell 

1796 Thomas Richards, Nathaniel Need, junior 

1797 Cornelius Huthwaite, William Dawson 

1798 Wright Coldham, William Wilson 

1799 Robert Hall, junior, Jonathan Dunn 

1800 George Nelson, Henry Enfield 

1801 John Allen, Thomas Whiter 

1802 William Howitt, William Hickling 

1803 George Nelson, Thomas Williams 

1804 Charles Lomas Morley, John Houseman Barber 

1805 Charles Mellor, Edward Staveley 

1806 Octavius Thomas Oldknow, Alexander Strahaa 

1807 John Bates, Wright Coldham 

1808 John Carr, Francis Wakefield, junior 

1809 Kirk Swann, William Morley 

1810 Charles Wakefield, John Stevens Howitt 

1811 Isaac Woolley, Samuel Hall 

1812 Edward Allatt Swann, Alfred Lowe 

1813 Charles Lomas Morley, John Michael Fellows 

1814 John Allen, junior, William Soars 

1815 Richard Hopper, Thomas Wakefield 



In the foregoing list of sheriffs, which to the year 1808, is taken from the town clerk's book, I 
have not altered a single letter, or changed a figure, or shifted a name, except in the following 
instance, which I did under an impression that a mistake had crept into the record, though it is 
possible that I may have been mistaken. The year 1714 was a blank, and Marmaduke Pennell 
was placed to the year 1715, and the five succeeding names to the year 1716, which the reader 
will see I have altered. 



• The names of Thomas Richards, John Allen, and Wright Coldham occur twice ; the reason is, that they served for other persons. For instance, 
Mr. Coldham served for George Coldham, his brother, town clerk. 



LIST OF RECORDERS AND TOWN CLERKS. 



287 



The following lists of recorders and town clerks, I have likewise been favored with from the 
town clerk's books, as they appear, with the exception of two alterations of dates in the list of 
recorders, which were done to correspond with the dates in the British Peerage. 

LIST of RECORDERS for the TO WJY of NOTTINGHAM. 



L500 Thomas Babvngton, Armiger 
1574 Radus Barton, Armiger 

Richard Parkyns, Armiger 
1603 Sir Henry Pierrepont, Knight 
1616 Wills Fletcher, Armiger 
1642 Johes Comes de Clare 
1668 Henricus, Marchoi Dorchester 
1680 Henricus, Dux Newcastle 
1690 William, Earl of Devonshire, created Duke 1694 



1707 Evelyn, Marquis of Dorchester, created Duke 

of Kingston, 1715 
1726 Thomas Holies, Duke of Newcastle 
1768 Henry FynesPelham Clinton, Duke of Newcastle 
1794 William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, Duke of 

Portland 
1809 The Right Honorable Henry Richard Vassall 

Fox, Lord Holland* 



LIST of TO WN CLERKS for the TO JVJY of NOTTINGHAM. 



1574 Nichus Plumtre, Gent. 
1597 Willus Gregory, Gent. 
1617 Robtus Greaves, Gent. 
1644 Willus Fiamsteed, Gent. 
1653 Robtus Greaves, Gent. 
1661 Radulphus Edge, Gent. 
1684 Carolus Bawdes, Gent. 
1692 Edward Althorpe, Gent. 
1696 Lawrance Althorpe, Gent. 



Henry Morris, Gent. 
1731 Richard Smith, Gent. 
1744 William Seagrave, Gent. 
1758 Robert Seagrave, Gent. 
1791 Richard Enfield, Gent. 
1791 George Coldham, Gent. 
1814 Henry Enfield, Gent. 



* In the speech which Lord Holland made at his inauguration into office, he attributted the distinguished honor which the corporate body had 
conferred upon him to the high esteem in which they held the venerated name of his uncle, the late Right Hon. Charles James Fox. And the following 
letter, which was addressed to H. Green, Esq. Mayor, and which I have given from the letter itself in Mr. Fox's hand-writing, will shew on what tha* 
high esteem was founded :~ 

TO HENRY GREEN, ESQ. MAYOR OF NOTTINGHAM, 

Sir, — / haee received your letter of the 4th instant, for which I return you my most sincere thanks. It is certainly true that I ibas asked whether 
1 would accept of the reeordership of Nottingham, and at the same time fairly informed, that it was an honor which had been designed to he 
offered to the Duke of Portland, but that the different systems of ccnduct in public affairs, which his Grace and I had respectively adopted, 
iuduced several persons to think that the compliment might with greater propriety be paid to me. In answer to this inquiry I said that it ivas mo 
opinion, that in the present situation of things, the circumstance of its having been intended for the Duke of Portland previous to the late 
differences in polities, did not appear to me to be a reason why I should refuse a compliment which so much flattered me. At Uu; same time I 
stated that the honor in question was one which I should never have thought of soliciting. I was induced to give this answer, not from motives 
of personal vanity, but because, in the present very critical state of affairs, I thought that a declaration of so respectable a body as the corporation 
of Nottingham, in favor of the principles and conduct of the minority in both houses of parliament might be eminently serviceable to the public. 
I now undersland that there is still a disposition to choose the Duke of Portland, possibly in the majority, but certainly in a considerable and 
respectable number of the electors, and that if I were to succeed in being elected recorder, it could only be by a personul contest with his Grace. 
4nd I will fairly confess to you, that in these circumstances my dislike to a contest of this nature, with a person for whom I have such real esteem. 
as I entertain for tlie Duke ef Portland, however I may lament (as I certainly do J the part he has lately taken in public affairs, is such that I 
vish by no means tu engage in it If there exists the least doubt in the corporation, with respect to whose public conduct at this juncture is to 
be preferred, the Duke's or mine, I am sure that in every point of view he is a much more proper person to fll the office, in question than I am, 
who have no other connection With you than what arises from having already received from you an unmerited and distinguished honor. With 
respect to the Oppreheniion which you state of disuniting the body of the whigs, I am sorry to say that I fear little mischief remains to be done 



288 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN. 

This town is under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the See of York, and the head of an 
Archdeaconry; over which the Reverend John Eyre, rector of Babworth, and one of the 
residentiaries of York Cathedral, now presides. The Diocese of York was divided into five 
Archdeaconries by Archbishop Thomas, in 1090. To that of Nottingham there is no endowment; 
and the dignity is subsisted wholly by the perquisites of the office, which, in 1534, were valued at 
£61 0s. JOd. 

Formerly, the archbishop paid the town a triennial visit, for the purpose of confirming the 
offspring of those, who were adherents to the national establishment ; his visits of late years 
however, have been uncertain. The archdeacon, either by himself, or by his official, holds an 
annual visitation in St. Mary's Church, at which time the churchwardens of the several parishes 
are sworn into office. 

The Spiritual Court of the Archdeaconry has been held in St. Peter's Church, for ages : but 
the judicial power is now removed to York. The Reverend Charles Wylde, D. D. rector of St. 
Nicholas's, in this town, is the official of the Archdeaconry, and surrogate for proving of wills: 
Mr. Bigsby, attorney -at-law, is the registrer ; and John Caunt of this town, and a Mr. Pilgrim of 
Bingham, are apparitors. 

LIST OF ARCHDEACOJYS, 

FROM 1174 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 

1351 John de Brinkelow 
1353 Richard de Derby 
1397 John de Nottingham 
1415 John de Wadekam 

1418 Simeon de Gaunstede 

1419 Robert Bovver 
1433 Nicholas Wymbish 
1461 Thomas Byron 
J 476 William Worsley 
1499 Thomas Crossley 
1506 John Hat ton 
1516 William Fell 
1528 Cuthbert Marshall 
1549 Robert Silvester 
1560 William Day 



1174 
1181 
1188 
1190 
1219 
1224 
1240 
1262 
1286 
1290 
1310 
1328 
1330 
1331 
1351 



John ■ ■ 

William de Thaney 
Robert Fitz William 
William Jestand 
William de Rotherham 
William de Bodeham 
Thomas de Wynton 
Henry de Shipton 
Thomas de Eadbury 
William de Pickering 
John de Grandison 
Gilbert de Hebervick 
Manuel de Flisco 
Ambaldus Cardinal 
Robert de Kildesby 



1565 John Lowthe 

1590 John King 

1611 Joseph Hall 

1627 Richard Bayley 

1635 William Robinson 

1660 Vere Harcourt 

1683 Thomas White 

1685 Samuel Crowborough 

1689 William Pearson 

1715 Robert Marsden 

1748 Hugh Thomas 

1780 Sir Richard Kaye, Bart. 

1810 John Eyre 



on that head, and I hope you will excuse my frankness, when 1 say without knowing your particular sentiments on these subjects, that I cannot give 
the appellation of whig to persons who support not only the present detestable war, but the infractions of the constitution, and spirit of oppression 
and persecution which has distinguished the executive government during these last two years. I have been thus particular in order that my 
declining the contest with the Duke of Portland may be clearly imputed to its true motives, my private and personal regard for his Grace, and 
not to any thing like an approbation of the public conduct, which I daresay with the best motives, but I fear with the worst consequences, he has 
thought proper to pursue. 1 am, Sir, 

Yaw moat obedient and most humble servaut, 
South-street, 1th April, 1794 C. J. FOX. 



SHERIFFS FOR THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



289 



In the above list there appears to be an omission of one archdeacon, since we find that Robert 
Purseglove, who was consecrated suffragan bishop of Hull in 1552., held the Archdeaconry of 
Nottingham, as is evident from an inscription to his memory in Tideswell church, of which place he 
was a native. He died May the 2d, 1579; and,, in 1560, he was deprived of the Archdeaconry 
of Nottingham and other spiritual dignities, by Queen Elizabeth, for refusing to take the oath of 
supremacy. 



It is presumed, that the following list of high sheriffs for the county, from the commencement 
of the seventeenth century, may be acceptable to the generality of readers; and also the following 
observations on the power and duty of that high office. 

The sheriff (originally denominated shire reeve) is an officer of very great antiquity in the 
kingdom, and called in Latin Vice Comes, as being the deputy of the Earl or Comes, to whom 
the custody of the shire is said to have been committed at the first division of England into counties 
or shires; but the Earls in process of time, by reason of their high stations and employments, and 
attending on the king's person, not being able to transact the business of the county, were delivered 
from that burden, reserving to themselves the honor, but the labour was laid on the sheriff, who 
does the king's business in the county of which he is sheriff; the King, by his letters patent, 
committing to him custodiam comitatus (or safeguard of the county.) 

Sheriffs were formerly chosen by the inhabitants of the several counties (except in Westmoreland 
where the sheriff is hereditary; and the city of London has the inheritance of the sherievalty of 
Middlesex invested in its charter) : But by the 9th of Edward the Second, the sheriffs are chosen 
by the judges and great officers of state in the Exchequer Chamber at Westminster, yearly, on the 
morrow of All Souls, who propose three persons to the king, who afterwards appoints one of them 
to be sheriff for the succeeding year; but the day of choosing these officers is now altered to the 
morrow of St. Martin, 

The sheriff has great power and authority, judicial and ministerial. — In his judicial capacity he 
is to determine causes in his county court; to decide all elections of knights of the shire, coroners, 
verderers, ^c. to decide the qualification of voters, and return such gentlemen as he shall determine 
to be duly elected. — A.s keeper of the king's peace, he is the first man in the county, and superior 
in rank to any nobleman therein, during his office. He may apprehend and commit to prison any 
who break the peace, and bind any one in recognizance to keep the king's peace; he is also bound 
to pursue, and take, all traitors, murderers, felons, and other misdoers, and commit them to prison 
for safe custody : also to defend the county against the King's enemies; and for that purpose, as 
well as for keeping the peace, to summon the people of his county to attend him ; which is called 
posse comitatus, and which all above 15 years old, must obey on pain of fine and imprisonment. — 
In his ministerial capacity the sheriff appoints the gaoler, bailiffs, &c. who execute all processes 
issuing from the king's courts of justice. In the commencement of civil causes, his officers arrest, 
nd take bail, and summon the jury previous to any trial or inquiry, &c. — In criminal matters he 
lso arrests, and imprisons, has custody of the delinquent, and executes the sentence of the court, 



though it extend to death itself. 



4 D 



290 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



N. B. Prior to the net of parliament of 24th of George II. (1751) intitled " An act for 
regulating the commencement of the year, and for correcting- the calendar now in use/' the year 
commenced on the 25th of March, but by that act all succeeding- years were fixed to commence 
on the 1st of January; and in the interval between the said 1st of January and 25th of March, 
the sheriffs are usually appointed. 

SHERIFFS FOR THE COUNT Y OF NOTTINGHAM, 

FROM THE YEAR 1700, TO THE PRESENT TIME. 



1700 Richard Hacker, of Newark-upon-Trent, Esq. 
170! Joseph Harbord, of Gringlcy, Esq. 

1702 William Burncll, of Winkburne, Esq. 

1703 Henry Sherbrooke, of Arnold, Esq. 

1704 Borlace Warren, of Stapleford, Esq. 

1705 Patricius Chaworth, of Annesley, Esq. 

1706 Mundy Musters, of Col wick, Esq. 

1707 Sir George Savile, of Rufford, Bart. 

1708 William Levinz, of Burton, Esq. 

1709 Richard Edge, of Strclley, Esq. 

1710 John Simpson, of Babworth, Esq. 

1711 Jonathan Acklom, of Mattersey, Esq. 

1712 Henry Sherbrooke, of Oxton, Esq. 

1713 Francis Lewis, of Stanford, Esq. 

1714 George Sharpe, of Barnby, Esq.* 
171.5 John Collin, of Elton, Esq. 

1716 Julius Hutchinson, of Owthorpe, Esq. 

1717 Joseph Mellish, of Blythc, Esq. 

1718 Isaac Knight, of Warsop, Esq. 

1719 Lionel Copley, of Plumptre, Esq. 

1720 William Hallows, of Cortlingstock, Esq. 

1721 John Sherwin, of Bramcote, Esq. 

1722 John Grundy, of Bleasby, Esq. 

1723 James Banks, of East Stoke, Esq. 
1721 John Richards, of Normanton, Esq. 

1725 George Langford, of Coulston, Esq. 

1726 Beilby Thompson, of Bole, Esq. 

1727 Richard Brown, of Gunthorpe, Esq. 

1728 Anthony Eyre, of Rampton, Esq. 
1739 Samuel Peake, of Farndon, Esq. 

1730 William Shipman, of Mansfield, Esq. 

1731 John Nevill, of Nottingham, Esq. 

1732 John Neale, of Mansfield Woodhouse, Esq. 

1733 John Disney, ofFlintham, Esq. 

1734 Thomas Porter, of Arnold, Esq. 



1735 Thomas Lister, of Bawtry, Esq. 

1736 William Btirnell, of Winkburne, Esq. 

1737 William Challand, of Wellow, Esq. 

1738 Joseph Clay, of Lambley, Esq. 

1739 John Gilbert Cooper, of Thurgarton, Esq. 

1740 Thomas Langford, of Basford, Esq. 

1741 John Story, of East Sloke, Esq. 

1742 William Cartwright, of Marnham, Esq. 

1743 Lancelot Rolleston, of Watnall, Esq. 

1744 John Linley, of Skegby, Esq. 

1745 Henry Donston, of Worksop, Esq. 

1746 John Thornhagh, of Shire-Oaks, Esq. 

1747 Sir Charles Molyneux, of Teversall, Bart. 

1748 Thomas Stowe, of Newark-upon-Trent, Esq. 

1749 William Chaworth, of Annesley, Esq. 

1750 William Westcomb, of Thrumpton, Esq. 

1751 John Borlace Warren, of Stapleford, Esq. 

1752 Darcy Burnell, of Winkburne, Esq. 

1753 Mundy Musters, of Colwick, Esq. 

1754 Jonathan Acklom, of Wiseton, Esq. 

1755 Sir Thomas Parkjns, of Bunny, Bart. 

1756 Robert Sutton, ofScofton, Esq. 

J757 John Hall, of Mansfield Woodhouse, Esq. 
175S Sir George Smith, of East Stoke, Esq. 

1759 John Whetham, of Kirklington, Esq. 

1760 Ralph Edge, of Strelley, Esq. 

1761 Samuel Gordon, of Newark-upon-Trent, Esq. 

1762 John Newton, of Bulwel), Esq. 

1763 Daniel Gach, of Balderton, Esq. 

1764 Charles Mellish, of Ragnall, Esq. 

1765 William Ellis, of Newark-upon-Trent, Esq. 

1766 George Brown, of Ordsall, Esq. 

1767 Sir Gervas Clifton, of Clifton, Bart 

1768 John Bell, of Colston Basset, Esq. 

1769 Robert Foster, of Newark-upon-Trent, Esq* 



This gentleman paid £9, for the Judges' expenses while in this town. 



SHERIFFS AND LORD LIEUTENANTS FOR THE COUNTY. 



291 



1770 

1771 
) 772 
1773 

1774- 

1775 

1776 

1777 

1778 

1679 

lf80 

1781 

1782 

1783 

1784 

1785 

178(3 

1787 

1783 

17811 

1790 

1 791 

1792 

1793 



Urban Hall, of Warsop, Esq. 

Gsorgi; Donston, of Worksop, Esq. 

George Neville, of Thorney, Esq. 

John Emerton Westcotnb Emerton, of Thrump- 

ton, Esq. 
Joseph Pocklington, of Carlton-on-Trent, Esq. 
Cornelius Launder, of Hickling, Esq. 
Abel Smith, the younger, of B:ilcote, Esq. 
John Musters, of Col wick, Esq. 
William Bilbie, of Berry kill, Esq. 
William Denison, of Ossina;ton, Esq. 
Charles Vere Dashwoocl, of Stanford, Esq. 
Lancelot Rolleston, of Watnall, Esq. 
John Litchfield, of Mansfield, Esq. 
John Gilbert Cooper, of Thurgarton, Esq. 
Pendock Neale, of Tollerton, Esq. 
Sherbrooke Lowe, of Southwell, Esq. 
Anthony Hartshorn, of Hayton, Esq. 
Thomas Waterhonse, of Beckingham, Esq. 
Richard Stenton, of Southwell, Esq. 
John Chamberlain, of Sutton Bonington, Esq. 
George Chaworth, of Annesley, Esq. 
George De Ligne Gregory, of Lenton, Esq. 
Edward Thoroton Gould, of Mansfield Wood- 

house, Esq. 
Richard Lumley Savile, of Rufford, Esq. 



1794 
1795 
1796 
1797 
1798 
1799 
1800 
1801 
1802 
180.3 
1801. 
180.5 
1806 

1807 
1808 
1809 
1810 
1811 
1812 
1813 
181 + 
1815 
1816 



John Simpson, of Babworth, Esq. 

Jonas Bettison, of Holmc-Pierrepont, Esq. 

John Wright, of Nottingham, Esq. 

John Gaily Knight, of Warsop, Esq. 

Nathaniel Stubbins, of Holme-Pierrepont, Esq. 

Samuel Bristowc, of Beesthorpe, Esq. 

William Gregory Williams, of Rcmpston, Esq. 

William Elliott Elliott, of Nottingham, Esq. 

Robert Lowe, of Oxton, Esq. 

William Sherbrook, of Arnold, Esq. 

Thomas Webb Edge, of Strelley, Esq. 

Christopher Rolleston, of Watnall, Esq. 

Sir Thomas Woollaston White, of Walling- 

Wells, Bart. 
John Longdon, of Bramcote, Esq. 
John Manners Sutton, of-Kelham, Esq. 
Thomas Walker, of Berry Hill, Esq. 
John Musters Chaworth, of Annesley, Esq. 
Thomas Wright, of Norwood Park, Esq. 
Hugh Blades, of Bamby Hall, Esq. 
John Need, of Mansfield Woodhouse, Esq. 
William Fletcher Norton Norton, of Elton, Esq> 
John Smith Wright, of Wilford, Esq. 
Sir R. H. Bromley, of East Stoke, Bart. 



1519 



1559 
1566 
1587 
1589 
1616 
1625 
1676 
1688 
1690 
1714 
1763 
1765 
1768 
1795 
1809 



LORD LIEUTENANTS FOR THE COUNTY. 

This is the first appointment I can find upon record; in which Edward Clinton, first Earl of Lincoln, and 
Thomas Manners, first Earl of Rutland, were appointed joint Lord Lieutenants of the Counties of 
Nottingham, Lincoln, and Rutland ; since which time the following noblemen have held the Lieutenancy 
of Nottinghamshire, from the dates annexed to their several appointments, distinct from the Lieutenancy of 
any other County. 

Henry, second Earl of Rutland. 

Edward, third Earl of Rutland. 

John, fourth Earl of Rutland. 

Gilbert Talbot, seventh Earl of Shrewsbury. 

William Cavendish, first Earl of Devonshire. 

William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle. 

Heory Cavendish, second Duke of Newcastle. 

William Pierrepont, fourth Earl of Kingston. 

John Holies, Earl of Clare, afterwards Duke of Newcastle. 

Thomas Pelham, Earl of Clare, afterwards Duke of Newcastle. 

Evelyn Pierrepont, second Duke of Kingston. 

Thomas Pelham, Duke of Newcastle. 

Henry Fiennes Pelham Clinton, Duke of Newcastle. 

William Henry Cavendish Bentick, third Duke x>f Portland 

John Pelham Clinton, Duke of Newcastle. 



292 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



BURGESSES AND KJYIGHTS OF THE SHIRE, 

WHO UATE REPRESENTED 

THE TOWN AND COUNTY OF THE TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM, AND THE COUNTY THEREOF, 

$n ^arliamnit, 

FROM THE TWENTY-THIRD OF EDWARD THE FIRST, TO THE PRESENT TIME. 

When Where 

Elected. Held. BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 



1294 
1296 
1297 
1299 
1299 
1299 
1301 
1301 
1304 
1305 
1305 
1306 
1307 
1308 
1310 
1311 
1311 
1312 
1313 
1314 
1314 
1315 
1316 
1318 
1318 
1321 
1323 
1324 
1S25 
1326 
1326 
1326 
1327 
1327 
1327 
1329 
1329 
1329 




Westminster, Johannes de Fleming, Willielmus deHardby, Gerrasias de Clifton, Johannes de Annesley 
London, .......... Willielmus de Stanton, Willielmus de Colewyk 

York, - - Johannes le Fleming, Adam de le Flemin g, - Richardus de Bingham, Richardus de Furnen 
Lincoln, -.-----.-. Ranulph. de Waldesby, Will, de Chaworth. Miles 

Loudon, .......... Will.de Chaworth. Miles, Randulph deWandsley 

Westminster, Johannes de Crophill, Gualtcrus de Thornton, Randulphus de Wandslcy, Will, de Chedworth 
London, - Adam Fleming, Johannes Ingram, . - Philippus de Lasseys, Robertus de Eccleshall 

Westminster, - - - - -. . . - Johannes de Lysbers, Robertus de Eccleshall 

Westminster, John Fitzadam deMorter, WalterdeThornton, Thomas Malet, Hugo de Hersey 
Westminster, Johannes Lambocks, Robertus Ingeham, - Robertus de Jorts, Robertus deSamby 
Westminster, ......... Robertus de Standely, Robertus Jourz 

Karl. - - Johannes de Nottingham, Johannes Ingram, Thomas Malet, Johannes de Villers 
Northampton, Johannes de Beston, Johannes de Bere, - Waltertus Gousle, Petrus Pycot Milites 

Westminster, ......... Johannes de Grey, Willielmus de Chaworth 

Westminster, Willielmus Gilham, Johannes Lambok, - Walterus de Gaushill, Thomas Malet. Milites 

London, . Johannes Lambocks, Richard le Curzun, - Willielmus Farwell 

Westminster, Johannes Lambocks, Richardus de Brumby, Thomas Malet, Hugo de Hcrcy. Milites 
Wind. ... - . - - . _ - - Petrus Pycot, Petrus Foun. Milites 

Westminster, Hugo Stapleford, Richardus Palmere, - - Petrus Pycot, Petrus le Fown 

York, - - Johannes Bryan, Robertus dc Brundby, - Johannes deCharveleys, Ger. fil. Gervasii. Milites 

Westminster, Willielmus Gotham, Bartholomeus Cotgreve, 

Lincoln, .......... Johannes de Lysorus, Petrus Fenn 

Lincoln, ......---- Laurentius de Chaworth, Hugo de Hercy 

York, . - Willielmus Buck, Johannes de Palmere, . Thomas de Longevillers, Petrus Foun. Milites 

York, ... - - - ' - - - - - Richardus Willoughby, Petrus Foun 

York, . . Galfridus le Flemyng, Simon de Folevill, 

Westminster, .--.-.--- Robertus de Jortz, Richardus de Willoughby 

London, .---_----- Reginald de Aslacton, Robertus de Jortz 

Westminster, Robertus de Brunuby, Alanus Cardoun, - Johannes Bary, Robertus Ingram 

York, . - Richardus Curzin, Johannes de Cupper, Randulphus de Burtou, Petrus Foun. Milites 

Lincoln, - Johannes Bully, Johannes Widmerpoole, - Pertus Foun, Robertus Ingram. Milites 
Westminster, .--.--.-- Johannes de Annesley, Williolmus de Gotham 
N. Sar. - Nicholas Shelford, Willielmus de Shelford, - Philippus de Calfetost, Petrus Foun 
York, ... - - - - - - - - He nricus de Facombcry, Robertus Ingram 

Northampton, Johannes Peruwyke, Petrus Briffield, - - Robertus Ingram, Petrus Fen. de Markham 

Westminster, Lawrentius Spicer, Robertus Moorwood, - Robertus Jortc, Johannes Byks. Milites 
Winchester, Johannes Fleming, Alanus Cardon, - - Petrus Foun 
Westminster, ....----- Paganus de Villers, Petrus Foun 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN AND KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 293 



When Where 

Elected. Held. BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 

1330, Nottingham*, - - - - - - - - - Johannes de Monteny, Willielrnus de Eland 

1331, Westminster, Willielrnus Gotham, Robertus Moorwood, . Johannes Byks, Rogerus de Verdon 
1331, Westminster, --------- Johannes Ingram, Johannes de Oxen 

1331, York, - * - - - - Johannes le Brett, Richardus de Strelley 

1332, Westminster, Johannes de Widmerpoole, Johannes Fleming, Willielrnus de Eland, Thomas de Rade. Milites 

1333, Westminster, Robertus Moorwood, Johannes de Crophill, Richardus de Strelley, Johannes de Oxen 

1333, York, - - Johannes Widmerpoole, JohaHnes Fleming, Willielrnus de Eland, Thomas de Radcliff 

1334, Westminster, Johannes de Feriby, Willielrnus de Thorpe, - Johannes de Brett, Richardus de Strelley 

1334, York, - - Johannes de Feriby, Richardus de Curzin, 

1335, Westminster, Johannes de Feriby, Willielrnus de Thorpe, - Johannes de Oxenford, Richardus de Strelley 
1335, Nottingham*, --------- Thomas de Bckering, Richardus de Strelley 

1335, Westminster, Willielrnus de Gotham, Rad. le Taverner, - Willielrnus de Eland, Richardus de Strelley 

1335, Westminster, Rogprus Bothayle, Willielrnus de Colston, - Johannes de Oxenford, Richardus de Strelley 

1336, Westminster, Willielrnus de Gotham, Robertus Moorwood, -Willielrnus de Eland, Richardus de Strelley 

1337, York, - - Nicholaus Ingram, Simon Folevile, 

1337, Westminster, Rogerus de Bothayle, Willielrnus de Colston, - Wiiiiclmus de Eland, Johannes de Oxenford 

1337, Nottingham*, Johannes de Feriby, Rad. le Taverner, - Richardus de Willoughby, Petrus Foua 

1338, Westminster, --------- Johannes de Vaus, Willielrnus de Gotham 

1338, Westminster, Johannes Colier, W r illielmus de Roderham, - Egidus de Meignill, Rogerus de Egington 

1339, Westminster, Robertus Moorwood, Willielrnus de Roderham, Johannes Darcy, Johannes Deyncourt 
1339, Westminster, Galfridus Fleming, Willielrnus Tovy - - Robertus Jort, Thomas de Asheburne 

1339, Westminster, ---..---. Johannes Barry, Robertus Jorce 

1340, Westminster, Willielrnus de Lodcrham, Simon Wodeburgh, Galfridus de Staunton, Johannes de Vaus 

1342, Westminster, Robertus Ingram, Richardus Newthorp, - Robertus Jorte, Richardus de Willoughby 

1343, Westminster, .--.-.--- Reginald de Aslacton, Robertus le Jortz 

1345, Westminster, Rad. Taverner, Richardus le Taverner, - Thomas Newmarsh, Johannes Kineton 

1346, Westminster, Rad. Taverner, Hugo le de Spenser, - - Johannes de Vaus, Gervasius de Clifton 

1347, Westminster, Rad. le Taverner, J. de Widmerpoole - - Willielrnus Trussbut, Nicholas Bernack 
1347, Westminster, .-...---. Johannes de Vaus, Gervasius de Clifton 

1349, Westminster, Hugo le Spicer, Johannes de Brigford, - - Thomas de Bykering, Johannes de Wadesworth 

1350, Westminster, --------- Thomas de Bykering, Johannes de Wadesworth 

1351, Westminster, - - - - - - - - Willielrnus de Wakebrigg, Willielrnus del Ken 

1351, Westminster, Richardus de Grey. Miles 

1352, Westminster, Willielrnus Findern, Thomas Moorwood, - Richardus de Grey. Miles 

1353, Westminster, Robertus Burnby, Thomas Moorwood, - Richardus Grey de Landeford, Will. deWakebrugg 

1354, Westminster, Thomas Moorwood, Johannes Ingram, - Richardus de Bingham, Rogerus de Hopewell 
1356, Westminster, Roger Hoppewell, sen. Roger Hoppewell, jun. Richardus de Grey, Johannes Bozoun 

1356, Westminster, Thomas de Moorwood, Johannes Ingram, 

1357, --------.--- Rich, de Grey de Landeford, Johannes Bozoun 

1358, Westminster, ......_.- Thomas Malett, Hugo de Herty 

1359, - Johannes Ingram, Robertus Burnby, . - Richardus de Grey, Willielrnus Wakebrugg 



The three marks attached to Nottingham, are to correct the like number of errors fallen into by Prynce, and followed by Deeruig ; the two 
former are said l»y them to be held at Westminster, and the latter at Northampton. Deering says, all historians agree, that a parliament was held 
It Nottingham, in 1330; therefore the error of placiugit at Westminster has arisen, I suppose, from his placing the 5th of Edward the Hid. in 1329; 
fhich I have corrected according to thejiocket peerage. 

4 E 






294 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



When Where 

Elected. Hell. BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 

1359, Westminster, Roger Hoppewell, jun. Willielmus de Findcrn, Richardus de Grey, Willielmus Wakebrugg 

1359, Westminster, Willielmus Solierc, Thomas Moorwood, - Richardus dc Grey, Robert de Marton 

1361, Westminster, Willielmus de Waggbrug, Thomas Moorwood, Simon de Leek, Willielmus de Wakebrugg 

1362, Westminster, Rogerus de Hoppewell, Henry Ward, - - Richardus dc Bingham, Thomas de Nevil 

1363, Westminster, Hugo Spicer, Willielmus Prior, ... Simon dc Leek, Robertus de Marton 

1364, Westminster, Hugo Spicer, Rogerus Hoppewell, - - Simon de Leek, Robertus Marton 

1365, Westminster, - - . ' - - - - - - Simon de Leek, Robertus de Marton 

1367, Westminster, Hugo Spicer,' Henricus Chamberlain, . - Simon de Leek, Sampson de Strelley 

1368, Westminster, Thomas de Marewode, Petrus Mason, - - Robertus de Marton, Willielmus de Strelley 
1370, Westminster, Rogerus dc Holm, Henricus Bradmere, - Rogerus Beler, Robertus de Marton 

1370, Westminster, Rogerus de Holm, - Rogerus Beler 

1371, Westminster, Johannes Cropshull, Johannes Bond, - - Simon de Leek, Richardus de Grey 

1372, Westminster, ......... Simon de Leek, Johannes dc Gateford 

1375. Westminster, - . - - - ' - - . -S.de Leek. Chivaler, Johannes de Birton 

1375, ... Robertus German, Willielmus Copper, . Johannes Anncsley, Johannes de Beckyngham 

1376, Westminster, Robertus Germayn, Willielmus Capper, . Johannes Anncsley, Johannes Beckyngham 

1377, Westminster, - . . . . . . -S.de Leek. Chivaler, Johannes Annesley 

1378, Gloucester, J. de Annesley. Miles. W. de Nevil. Miles 

1378, Westminster, -.--..... J. de Annesley. Miles. J. de Beckyngham 

1378, Westminster, Robertus Gffrmayne, Thomas de Bothale, - Johannes de Annesley, Johannes Parker 

1379, Westminster, Henricus Cook, Robertus Germayne, - - Sampson de Strelley, R. de Marton 

1380, Northampton,- - -- -. __ . Johannes de Gaytford, Robertus Basely 

1381, Westminster, -----.... Thomas de Rcmpston. Mile9. Simon de Leek 

1381, Westminster, ----..._. Sampson de Strelley, Thos. de Rempslon. Miles 

1382, Westminster, - - - - . . . . . Simon de Leek. Miles. Johannes de Burton 

1382, Westminster, ---.-..._ Sampson de Strelley. Miles. Johannes de Barton 

1383, N. Sar. - Thomas Bothale, Johannes de Tamraesley, - Bert, de Bolynbrok, Thomas de Annesly 

1383, Westminster, ------ .^. Robertus de Basely, Thomas de Annesly 

1384, Westminster, Richardus Milford, Robertus Germain - - Johannes de Annesley, Richardus de Bevercote 

1385, Westminster, Johannes Crawshawe, Willielmus Hunston, Johannes de Annesley. Miles. Johannes de Birton 

1386, Westminster, Willielmus Bottiler, Robertus de Henden, - Johannes de Annesley, Johannes de Leek. Milites 

1387, Westminster, ...-..._. Johannes de Leek. Milites. Johannes de Annesley 

1388, Cambridge, Thomas Mevcrley, Willielmus Bottiler - - Johannes de Annesley, Robertus de Cokfield. M. 

1389, Westminster, Willielmus Bottiler, Robertus Gerney, - Johannes de Leek, Johannes de Gaytford. M. 

1390, Westminster, Johannes de Burton, Hugo Cressy 

1391, Westminster, Thomas Mapperley, Willielmus Bottiler, . Robertus Cokfield. M. Thomas Hercy 

1392, Westminster, Willielmus Bottiler, Nicholas Allestre, . Thos. deRempstone. M. Johannes Gaytford. M. 

1393, Westminster, Willielmus Nevil. Miles. Nicholas de Strelley 

1394, Westminster, Robertus Germaine, Themas Mapperley, . Thomas de Rcmpston. Miles. Nicholas Burden 

1396, Westminster, Robertus Germaine, Thomas Mapperley, - Thomas de Rempston. Miles. Hugo Cressy 

1397, Westminster, . - . Thomas de Rempston. Miles. Robertus de Marton 

1399, Westminster, Johannes de Plumptre, Johannes Taunbley, - Johannes Gaytford, Willielmus de Leek 

1400, -------..... Johannes de Burton. Miles. Johannes Knyvcton 

1402, Winchester, Richard Stanhop. Miles. Johannes Clifton. Miles. 

1403, Westminster, _. Richard Stanhop. Miles. Simon de Leek 

1406, Westminster, Walterus Stacey, Thomas Fox, - - - Thomas Chaworth. Miles. Rich. Stanhope. Miles 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN AND KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 295 



When Where 

Elected- Held. BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 

1407, Gloucester, Johannes Rothell, Johannes Jorne, - - Johannes Zouch. Miles. Hugo Hussey. Miles 

1410, Westminster, Thomas Mapperley, Johannes Hoddings, . Willielmus Reginaydon, Thomas de Staunton 

1412, Westminster, Johannes Tannesley, Thomas Mapperley, . Robertus Plimpton, Henricus de Sutton 

1412, Westminster, Robertus Glade, Johannes Tannesley, Aid- - Johannes Zouch. Miles. Thos. Rempston. Miles. 

1413, Leicester, .-.--..--. Robertus Plumpton. Miles. Henry de Sutton 
14 L3. Westminster, Henricus Preston, Walterus Stacey Hugo Husye, Radulphus Makerell 

1414, Westminster, Johannes Allestre, Johannes Bingham, - - Thos. de Rempston. Miles. Will, de Crompton 
1416, Westminster, Henricus Preston, Willielmus Burton, - Thomas Chaworth, Henry Pierpoint 

1418, Gloucester, Willielmus Stacey, Thomas Fox 

1419, Westminster, Thomas Page, Johannes Bingham - - Johannes Zouch, Hugo Husye 

1419, Westminster, ........ - Thomas Chaworth, Radulphus Makerell 

1420, Westminster, Thomas Page, Richardus Samon ... Richardus Stanhop, Henricus Pierpoint 

1422, Westminster, Thomas Page, Johannes Allestre, Alderman - Johannes Zouch, Richardus Stanhop 

1423, Westminster, Johannes Wilford, Thomas Page - . Thomas Chaworth, Henricus Pierpoint 

1424, Westminster, Johannes Allestre, Johannes Wilford - - Henricus Pierpoint, Willielmus Merings 

1425, Westminster, Willielmus Burton, Willielmus Bradmere, - Gervasius de Clyfton, Norman Babyngton 

1427, Leicester, - Thomas Pogg, Alderman, Johannes Manchester, Hugo AVilloughby, Radulphus Makerell 

1428, Westminster, Johannes Manchester, Johannes Etewell, - Richardus Stanhop. M. Johannes Berweys 

1429, Westminster, Johannes Manchester, Johannes Etewell, - Richardus Stanhop, Miles. Johannes Bowyg 

1430, Westminster, Johannes Plumptre, Aid. Johannes Manchester, Richardus Stanhop. Miles. Norman Babyngton 
1432, Westminster, Willielmus Halifax, Aid. Galfridus Kenton, 

1434, Westminster, Johannes Manchester, Robertus Resyn - Richardus Willoughby, Johannes Gower 

1436, Cambri ige, Johannes Plumptre, Aid. Will. Halifax, Aid. Thomas Chaworth, Willielmus Plympton 
1441, Westminster, Thomas Allestre, Aid. Thomas Thurland, Aid. Johannes Zouch, Willielmus Merings 
1446, Cambridge, - - - - - - -'- - Nicholas Fitzwilliam, Richard Illingworth 

1446, Westminster, Thomas Babyngton, R,obertus Resyn 

1448, Westminster, Thomas Thurland, Aid. Thomas Allstre, Aid. Johannes Roos. Armig. Richard Estlyngworth 

1449, Westminster, Thomas Thurland, Aid. Thomas Allestre, Aid. Johannes Stanhop. Miles. Henry Bosom. Miles 

1450, Westminster, Thomas Thurland, Aid. Thomas Babington Johannes Wastnesse, Richardus Illingworth 
1452, Reading, - Richardus Delwood, Johannes Squyer . - Robertus Clifton, Johannes Stanhop 

1454, Westminster, ......... Richardus Illingworth, Johannes Watnesse 

1459, Coventry, ......... Robertus Strelley. Miles. Johannes Stanhop. Ar. 

1459, Westminster, Robertus Stable, Johannes Serjeant 

1460, Westminster, RoWtus Strelley. Miles. Johannes Stanhop 

1466, - - Elected, but lost ..... Elected, bat lost 

1471, Westminster, Thomas Ncvill, Johannes Hunt . . . Henricus Pierpoint, Johannes Stanhop. 

Here ends Pryne's list, to which; with a few slight alterations., I have adhered. 

1476, Westminster, John Mapully, John Clerk, . . . - John Byron, Esq. William Meryng, Esq. 

The writs, indentures, and returns from this time to the first of Edward the Sixth, are all lost, 
except an imperfect bundle of the 23d of Henry the Eighth, which wants for the county, but 
those for the town are, 

Robert Lovat 
Richard Hasyligg 



£0(5 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



nig^nj r i wp i rv-*-r?r?- MM 



Prom this time the parliaments always held their sittings at Westminster, with the exception of 
three being- held at Oxford; the first by Mary, in 1554, and the second by Charles the First, in 
1(313, and the third by Charles the Second, in 1080; therefore it is of no use to continue the 
column of places, where held. 



1546, 

1551, 

1553, 

1554, 

1555, 

1556, 

1558, 

1558, 

1562, 

1570, 

1571, 

1'584, 

1585, 

1588, 

1592, 

1596, 

1600, 

1602, 

1613, 

1619, 

1622, 

1G25, 

1625, 

1627, 

1639, 

1640, 

1646*, 

1653*, 



BURGESSES OF - THE TOWN. 
John Pastell, Nicholas Powtrcll 
Robert Hasiligge, Francis Colman 
Humphrey Quarnbye, Thomas Markham 
Humphrey Quarnbye, Francis Colman - 
Nicholas Powtrcll, Esq. William Markham 
Hugh Thornhill, Esq. J. Bateman, Gent. ' - 

Francis Colman, Gent. Edward Brown, Gent. - 
Elected but lost - - 

Humphrey Quarnbye, Gent. J. Bateman, "Gent; 
Ralph Rarton, Gent. William Balle, Gent. 
Thomas Manours, Knt. John Bateman s Gent. 
Richard Parkvns, Esq R. Bateman, Gent. 
Robert Constable, Knt. Richard Parkyns, Esq. 
George Mannors, Esq. RJchard Parkyns, Esq. 
Humphrey Bonner, Gent. Richard Parkyns, Esq. 
Humphrey Bonner, Aid. Anker Jackson, Aid. 
William Gregory, Gent. William Grayes, Gent. 
Richard Hart, Alderman, Anker Jackson, Aid. 
Elected, but lost - 

Michael Purefoy, Esq. John Lascells, Esq, 
J. Bryan, Esq. Francis Pierpoint, Esq. 
Robert Greaves, Gent. J. Mai-tin, Gent. 
Gerv. Clifton, Knt. and Bart. J. Byran, Esq. - 
Charles Cavendish, Knt. Henry Pierpoint, Esq. 
Chs. Cavendish, Esq. Gil. Boun, Serjeant-at-Law 
Gilbert Millington, Esq. F -ancis Pierpoint, Esq. 
Gilbert Millington, Esq. William Stanhop, Esq. 
None elected - 
James Chadwick, Esq. John Mason, Esq. 



1654*, ------ 

1656*, Col. James Chadwick, William Drury, Aid. 

1659*, John Whalley, Esq. John Parker, Aid. 



KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE, 
Michael Stanhope, Knt. John Markham, Knt. 
Elected, but lost 

John Herry, Knt. John Hollis, Knt. 
John ConstabU;, Knt. Elizeus Markham, Esq. 
Richard Whalley, Esq. Elizeus Markham, Esq. 
Richard Whalley, Esq. Anthony Foster, Esq. 
John Markham, Knt. Hugh Thornhill, Esq. 
Elected, but lost 

John Mannersi Esq. John Mollineux, Esq. 
Robert Markham, Esq. Edward Stanhop, Esq. 
Henry Pierpoint, Esq. Edward Stanhop, Esq. 
Thomas Manners, Knt. Robert Constable, Knt. 
Thomas Manners, Knt. Thomas Stanhop, Knt. 
Robert Markham, Esq. Brian Lascells, Esq. 
Charles Cavendish, Esq. Philip Strelley, Esq. 
Elected, but lost 

Charles Cavendish, Knt. Robert Pierpoint, Esq. 
John Hollis, Knt. Percival Willoughby, Knt. 
Elected, but lost 

Gervase- Clifton, Knt. George Chaworth, Knt. 
Gervase Clifton, Knt. and Bart. Robert Sutton, Esq. 
Gervase Clifton, Knt. and Bart. Henry Stanhop, Esq. 
Henry Stanhope, Esq. Thomas Hutchinson, Knt. 
Gervase Clifton, Knt. and Bart. John Byran, Knt. 
Thomas Hutchinson, Esq. Robert Sutton, Esq. 
Thomas Hutchinson, Knt. Robert Sutton, Esq. 
John Hutchinson, Esq.f Gervase Pigott, Esq. 
John Odingsells, Esq. Edward Cludd, Esq. 
William Pierpoint, Esq. Edward Whalley, Esq. Edward 

Neville, Esq. Charles White, Esq. 
Edward Neville, Esq. Edward Cludd, Esq. Edward 

Whalley, Esq. Peniston Whalley, Esq. 
Edward Neville Esq. Thomas Bristow, Esq. 



All the returns marked thus *, I have been enabled to add to the lists of representatives hitherto 
published : Deering acknowledges he could not obtain them, and Throsby, I presume, never 
attempted. The first parliament which Charles summoned in 1640, met on the 13th of April ; 



f Mrs. Hutchinson informs us, that her husband was strongly solicited to serve for the town, but Mr. Francis Pierpont intreated him to stand for 
the county, and use his influence for him in the town ; which he did, notwithstanding the many unkind returns he had received from that gentlwnan. 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN AND KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 297 



and the second, which proved so fatal to him, on the 3d of November. The four succeeding 
ones, as well as that which was summoned to-' meet on the 25th of April, 1660, called the Restoring 
Parliament, were called during- the - Interregnum. Deering informs us, that he could not find 
the names of either our town or county members, belonging "to that parliament which Charles 
summoned to meet at Oxford in 1643 ; nor was he likely, since there were no elections on the occasion. 
Charles merely., after the battle at Edghill in Warvyickshire, summoned that parliament to meet him 
at Oxford which had been elected in 1640 ; but, besides those of the blood royal, there were only 42 
lords and 1 IT commoners attended to his call. To the honor of Nottingham, however, its members 
continued at Westminster, firmly attached to the people's liberties. 

The Bareboji'es, or Little Parliament summoned in 1653, was so called, from a conspicuous 
character of that day, of the name of Praise God Barehone, and from the paucity of its numbers, 
it consisting only of 144 members ; and not as Deering has it, of 139. Our author conjectures, 
that Edward Ciudd, Esq. of Southwell,* was returned by the town- of Nottingham to this parliament; 
but, as maybe seen by looking at the list, he is mis-taken. He is likewise wrong in stating Gervase 
Pigott, Esq. to be a member of this parliament; that gentleman was never returned after the year 
1646. But to set the matter at rest respecting Mr. Ciudd's being returned for the town in 1653, 
we have only to analize that parliament and we shall find, there was not one borough member in 
the house. The members stood as follows : — 

County Members - \. . - 115 

Loudon - - . - _ 7 

Scotch - - - _ - - - _ - 5 - 

Irish - - - . _ ■ _ _6 

W-elch ----- - . . . • . 6 

Field Officers - . . » _ . 5 



144 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 

1660, John Hutchinson, Esq. Robert Pierepoint, Esq. f William Pierepotnt, Esq. Gilbert Lord Houghton 

Arthur Stanhope, Esq. .... ----____ 

1661, Robert Pierepoint, Esq. Arthur Stanhope, Esq. - Sir John Clifton, Knt. John Eyre, Esq. 

- - - - - - - -- -Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. Sir Francis Leek, Knt. and Bart, 

1678, Robert Pierepoint, Esq. Richard Slater, Esq. - Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. John White, Esq. 

1679, Robert Pierepoint, Esq. Richard Slater, Esq. - Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. John White, Esq. 
1680-1 Robert Pierepoint, Esq. Richard Slater, Esq. - Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. John White, Esq. 



* Mr. Ciudd resided at Norwood Park, near Southwell, and during the interregnum, he acted as a civil magistrate; and, according to the custom of 
the commonwealth, he had to perform the ceremony of uniting those persons at the hymeneal altar, that chose to enter into the married state ; such 
union being then considered purely as a civil contract. This ceremony, we are informed by tradition in that neighbourhood, he used to perform under 
the umbrageous shelter of an oak tree, not far from his house, around which benches were erected for the conveniency of the parties ; which tree is 
preserved by the Sutions, the present owners of the estate., with a religious veneration, it being capped with lead and otherwise taken care of ; and is 
to this day called Ciudd s Oak. When the author of this work visited this altar of hymeneal devotion in the summcf of 1815, the happiness of its 
former youthful visitants danced in his imagination , and he put up a silent prayer for its preservation. 

t Colonel Hulchinson aDd Mr. Stanhope were elected for the town in 1660, to serve in that parliament which met on the 25th of April ; but in June 
following the Colonel, aud every other member that had signed the king's death-warrant were expunged, and Mr. Pierpoint was elected in his stead. 

4 F 



298 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



rr-r 



*&*• 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. 
1685, John Beaumont, Esq. Sir William Stanhope, Knt. 
1689-90 Hon.Fra. Pierepoint, Ed. Bigland, scrj.-at-law 

1690, Charles Hutchinson, Esq. Richard Slater, Esq. 
16*5, Richard Slater, Esq. Charles Hutchinson, Esq. 

died, William Pierepoint, Esq. - 
1698, William Pierepoint, Esq. Richard Slater, Esq. 

died, Robert Sacheverel, Esq. ... 

1700, William Pierepoint, Esq. Robt. Sacheverel, Esq. 

1701, William Pierepoint, Esq. Robt. Sacheverel, Esq. 

1702, William Pierepoint, Esq. George Gregory, Esq. 

1705, Robt. Sacheverel, Esq. Wm. Pierpoint, Esq. died 
John Plumptre, Esq. .... 

1708, John Plumptre, Esq. Robie Sherwin, Esq. 
1710, John Plumptre, Esq. Robert Sacheverel, Esq. 
1713, Robert Sacheverel, Esq. Borlace Warren, Esq. 
1714-15, John Plumptre, Esq. George Gregory, Esq. 
1722, John Plumptre, Esq. George Gregory, Esq. 
1727, Borlace Warren, Esq. Hon. John Stanhope 

1734, John Plumptre, Esq. Borlace Warren, Esq. 

1741, John Plumptre, Esq. Borlace Warren, Esq. died, 
Sir Charles Sedlcy, Bart. .... 

1747, R. H.Geo. Vise. Howe, Sir Chas. Sedley, Bart.* 

1754, R. H. Geo. Vise. Howe, Sir Willoughby Aston, 
Bart. Lord Howe dying in 1758, The Hon. Col. 
William Howe ...... 

1761, The Hon. Col. Wm. Howe, John Plumptre, Esq. 

1768, The Hon. Col. Wm. Howe, John Plumptre, Esq. 

1774, The Hon. Gen. Howe, Sir Charles Sedley, Bart. 
Sir Charles dying in 1778, Abel Smith. Esq. 
jun. was elected; but he dying in 1779, hit 
brother Robert Smith, Esq. ... 

1780, Robert Smith, Esq. Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 
1784, Robert Smith, Esq. Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 
1790, Robeit Smith, Esq. Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 
1796, Dan. Parker Coke, Esq. Robt. Smith, Esq. created 
a Peer in 1797, Sir John Borlase Warren, K. B. 



KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE, 
Sir William Clifton, Bart. Reason Mellish, Esq. 
John White, Esq. John Lord Houghton, created a Peer 

and succeeded by Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. 
Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. William Sacheverel, Esq. died y 

John White, Esq. 
Sir Scroop Howe, Knt. John White, E»q. 
Sir Thomas Willoughby, Bart. Gervase Eyre, Esq. 

Sir Thomas Willoughby, Bart. Gervase Eyre, Esq. 

Sir Thomas Willoughby, Bart. Sir F. Mollineux, Bart. 
Sir F. Mollineux, Bart. Gervase Eyre, Esq. ditd, Joha 

Thornhagh, E*q. 
Sir Thomas Willoughby, Bart^ John Thornhagh, Esq. 

Sir Francis Willoughby, Bart. John Thornhagh, Esq. 
R. II. Scroop Vise. Howe, William Levinz, Esq. 
The Hon. Francis Willoughby, William Levinz, Esq. 
The Hon. Francis Willoughby, Wiiliaui Levinz, Esq. 
R. 11. Scroop Vise. Howe, Sir Robert Sutton, K. B. 
William Levinz, Esq. li. H. Scroop Vise. Howe, office^ 

Thomas Bennett, Esq. 
The Hon. John Mordaunt, Thomas Bonnet, Esq. died y 

William Levinz, Esq. junior 
The Hon. John Mordaunt, William Levinz, Esq. 

R. H. Lord Robert Sutton, John Thornhagh, Esq. 
R. II. Lord Robert Sutton, John Thornhagh, Esq. 



R. II. Lord Robert Sutton, John Thornhagh, Esq. my 

Lord dying in 1762 ? The Hon. Thos. Willoughby 
John Thornhagh, Esq. The Hon. Thomas Willoughby 
Henry Earl of Lincoln, The Hon. Thomas Willoughby, 
who succeeded to the title of Lord Middleton in the 
same year ; Lord Ed. Bentinck zt>a$ elected in 1775, 
and the Earl of Lincoln dying in France in 1778, 
The Hon. Charles Meadows 
Lord Edward Bentinck, The Hon. Charles Meadows 
Lord Edward Bentinck, The Hon. Charles Meadows 
Lord Edward Bentinck, The Hon. Charles Meadows 
The Hon. Evelyn Pierepoint Fjord W. C. Bentinck, Mr. 
Pierepoint died in 1801, Hon. C. H. Pierepoint 



• A violent contest took place at this election between John Plumptre, Esq. supported by the wbigs, and Sir Charles Sedley, supported by the lories 
the laller party succeeding, for the first time from the jear 17)5 ; in consequence of which, Sir Charles gave his partisans the finest fir in his park at 
Notb.aU, which they erectid as a Maypole, where now the pump stands in Parliament-street, between Clumber-street and Milton-s;r»et. It was ordered 
town by the late Mr. Thomas Wjtfr when he was overseer of the highway in 1789. 



CONTESTED ELECTIONS. 



299 



BURGESSES OF THE TOWN. KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE. 

1802, Sir John Borlase Warren, Joseph Birch, Esq. Hon. C. H. Pierepoint, Lord W. C. Bentinck, who 



whose return was declared void in 1803, 
Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. . 

1806, Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. John Smith, Efq. 

1807, Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. John Smith, Esq. 
1812 John Smith, Esq. Rt. Hon. Lord Rancliffe 



vacated in 1803, Anthony Hardolph Eyre, Esq. 

Anthony H. Eyre, Esq. Hon. C. H. Pierepoint. Lord 

Newark by courtesy 
Anthony II. Eyre, Esq. Lord Newark 
Rt. Hon. Lord Newark, Lord W. C. Bentinck. who vacated 

in 1814, and was succeeded by Frank Frank, Esq.* 



ELECTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, 

FOR THE TOWN. 

The following table shews the number of electors that polled at the different stated periods ; and 
though it does not embrace every election from the year 1713, yet it will satisfy the reader's 
curiosity, as to the number of electors. n„ Polled. 

1710, John Plumptre, Esq. - - - - - -- - - 728 

Roberl Sacheverel, Esq. --------- 703 

Robie Sherwin, Esq. .--«---._ 675 

Borlase Warren, Esq. ------- 

Total 

1722, John Plumptre, Esq. ___---. 

George Gregory, Esq. ------- 

Borlase Warren, Esq. ..---.- 





- 


574 


- 


- 


2680 


Jo. Polled. 




Only Votes 


866 


- 


1 


808 


- 


7 


756 


- 


566 



Total 

Total number of Electors that polled 1502 



2430 



1754, Lord Howe 

Sir Willoughby Aston 
John Plumptre, Esq. 



574 

No. Polled. 
980 
924 
915 



Total 



2819 



Number of Freeholders that polled 145. Total number of Burgesses then in existence 1757. 



* In a parliament summoned by King Edward the First, June the 28th, 1283, to meet at Shrewsbury the 30(h September, the same year, to which 
besides the great barons called by a particular writ addressed to each of them, and two representatives elected for each of the shires, there were called 
two members for each of the following cities and towns. The wrils were directed to the Mayor Citizens and Sheriffs of London — Mayor and Citizen' 
of Winchester — Mayor and Bailiffs of Newcastle-upon-Tyne — Mayor ,-ind Citizens of York — Mayor and Bailiffs of Bristol — Mayor and Citizens of 
Exeter — Mayor and Citizens of Lincoln— Mayor and Citizens of Canterbury — Mayor and Citizens of Carlisle — Bailiffs of Norwich— Mayor and 
Goodmen of Northampton — Bailiffs of Nottingham — Bailiffs ot Scarborough— Mayor and Bailiffs of Grimsby — Mayor and Bailiffs of Lynn— Bailiffs 
of Colchester— Bailiffs and Goodmen of Yarmouth— Mayor and Goodmen of Hereford — Mayor and Goodmen of Chester — Bailiffs and Goodmen of 
Shrewsbury — Mayor and Goodmen of Worcester See Faedera, Vol. 2, 247, 249. 

A parliament something similar to this had been summoned in 1264, but the towns seuding members are not recorded ; but that two members were 
tent from several of - he principal cities and towns is certain, as well as the representatives of each county. Ibid, Vet. 1, iOt. 

N. B. The above were then the principal cities and towns iu the kingdom. 



3Q0 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ntui a uM i iwau n i CT— i — mumi u i i i u ii mwi i 



Plumptre had long- been the favorite of the whigs, but he having* accepted an office under 
government, they were highly offended at his conduct • depending, however, upon his influence, 
lie not only thought of stepping into the seat, but of bringing in Sir W illoughby Aston likewise ; this 
the whigs could not bear, therefore, they made sure of their own champion, and split as many of 
(heir votes in favor of Sir Willoughby Aston as placed him second on the list; thus Mr. Plumptre 
was lost in a fog of his own raising. The number of only votes which polled on this occasion were — 

For Howe - - - - - - . 901 

For PWimptre - - - - . - - 26 

For \ston - - . - - ■ - 3 



1774, Sir Charles Scdley, Bar 

Honorable Colonel W. Howe 
Lord Edward Bentinck 



Total 


930 






Total number of Electors that polled 1858 










No. Polled. 




Only Votes 


- 


1114- 


- 


308 


re 


971 


- 


502 


. 


911 


- 


234 



Total • - 
Total number of Electors that polled 201; 



2996 



1044 



1780, Robert Smith, Esq. 

Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 
Major John Cart w right 



1790, Robert Smith, Esq. 

Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 
Captain Johnson 



Total 



o. Polled. 


Only Votes 


569 


96 


342 


8 


149 


10 


1060 


- 114 




No. Polled. 


- - 


443 


- 


415 


- 


237 



Total 



1095 



Captain Johnson suffered himself to be put up by the Tory, or White Lion Club, so called from 
its being held at that Inn, for the purpose of running Mr. Smith to expense, without any hope of 
ultimate success. 







No. Polled. 




Only Votes. 




Town Votes, 




Country V 


1796, Robert Smith, Esq. 


_ 


1210 


. 


282 


- 


1926 


- 


184 


Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. 


. 


1069 


. 


82 


- 


655 


. 


114 


Peter Crompton, Esq. 


- 


561 


- 


364 


- 


528 


- 


33 



2840 - 728 2509 331 

This contention arose out of the political events of the day, which then split the country into 
factions; whig and tory both changing sides, according as they were influenced by the love of 
freedom, or by the fear (falsely grounded) of losing their property ; the French revolution was an 
object of admiration to one part of the people, and of terror to the other. Mr. Smith having 
been induced (as was generally believed) by his private friendship with Mr. Pitt, to join the war 



CONTESTED ELECTIONS. 



301 



party, many of his old friends determined to oppose him ; and Dr. Crompton was prevailed upon 
to be the instrument in their hands. Many of the electors, who polled on this occasion, made 
sacrifices which will ever endear their conduct to the lovers of independence. It was not Mr. 
Smith, properly speaking, that they opposed, but the war; and time has proved, that if the nation 
in general had followed their notion of things, Ave should now have been a happy people. 

No. Po'li'd. Only Votes. 

1802, Sir John Borlace Warren ...... 087 - 48 

Joseph Birch, Esq. . . - - - - ' 928 - 591 

Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. - - - - 636 - 10 



Total .- .. . 2551 . 649 

Total number of Electors that polled 1600 

Mr. Coke had become an object of popular dislike, in consequence of his having given his 
support to the war, to which was attributed the' excessive high price of provisions. It was very 
remarkable in this contest, that Mr. Birch was a total stranger, was then standing a contest at 
Liverpool, and that he did not arrive here till the 4th day of the poll. He was unseated in 
consequence of a petition to the House of Commons from Mr. Coke • but the circumstances which 
took place in consequence of this affair, more properly belong to the political events of the town ; 
and the relation of them shall therefore be reserved for that place. 

On Monday, the 30th of May, came on the memorable contest between Mr. Coke and Mr. 
Birch , and to give the account of it dearly to posterity, we will set down each day's poll. 

1803, First day, May 30th . - ' . ' . 

Second day, May 3 1st - - 

Third day, June 1st . . 

Fourth day, June 2d ....... 

Fifth day, June 3d - - _ . _ . . 

Sixth day, June 4lh ....... 

Seventh day, June 6th ---_... 

Total 

Number of town burgesses »..__. 

Number o,f county burgesses- --..._ 

Number of freeholders in the town ..... 

Number of freeholders in the county ..... 

■ i 
Total number of burgesses that polled for each .... 

Total number of freeholders that polled for each ' ■ . 

Total number of freeholders that polled on this occasion ... 
Total number of burgesses that polled on this occasion ... 

Grand total ... - 2523 

The next contest was carried on between the friends of Mr. Birch on the one part, and those of Mr. 
Coke and Mr. John Smith on the other, with an ardour scarcely ever exceeded in the history of 
electioneering; the two latter gentlemen having joined interests, though of opposite political 

4 G 



ffToke. 




Birch. 


109 


- 


100 


42 


- 


20O 


180 


- 


90 


218 


- 


202 


153 


. 


26& 


297 


- 


123 


360 


— 


180 


1359 


1164 


789 


- ;, 


838 


301 


- 


248 


135 


- 


67 


134 


• 


11 


1090 


1086 


269 


* 


78 


. 


347 


- 


- 


217G 



302 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



opinions ; Mr. Smith being a whig of strict constitutional principles; but, though a native of the 
town, he had resided very little in it, and his politics were as little known ; many of the whigs 
therefore split their votes in favor of Mr. Coke, and thus placed him at the head of the poll ; while 
if each candidate had stood upon his own interest and had taken the chance of split-votes, in 
all probability he would have been at the tail. Mr. Smith, however, by his manly conduct in the 
house, in advocating the rights of the people, soon acquired the esteem of every lover of his 
country. 



1806, First day, October 31st - 
Second clay, November 1st 
Third day, November 3d 
Fourth day, November 4th 
Fifth day. November 5th 
Sixth day, November 6th 
Seventh day, November 7th 
Eighth day, November 8th 
Ninth day, November 10th 



Total 



Coke. 

44 

315 

231 

212 

283 

351 

233 

90 

14 

1773 



Smith. 

35 

286 

205 

187 

219 

316 

192 

90 

13 

1543 



Birch. 

84 
310 
275 
169 
290 
174 
108 

25 
8 

1443 



For Coke 
For Smith 
For Birch 



Town V»tes. 
1193 
990 
1098 



Country Votes. 
434 
414 
272 



Array Votes, 
81 
72 
41 



Toial number of Electors that polled 2994 



London Votes 
65 
67 
32 



Only Votes. 
20 
19 
1190 



1807, John Smith, Esq. 
D. P. Coke, Esq. 
Dr. Crompton 



Town Voles. 
1096 
826 
573 

Smith. 
1216 



Country Votes. 

120 

111 

62 

Coke. 
937 



Only Votes. 

20 
71 

301 

Crompton. 
635 



Total number polled by each 

On this occasion Dr. Crompton sacrificed much of that esteem he had so justly acquired in 1796, 
by pertinaciously persevering in a contest, contrary to the advice of his friends and the interest of 
the town, and without a shadow of success ; except as he might expect that success to result from 
the errors of some of the contending, or conducting parties. He put up on the pure principles 
of electioneering, that is, to take the suffrages of the electors free of any expense ; which, on the 
present system of representation, and, in particular in a town that has more than a thousand out- 
voters, is impossible to be attended with success. The poll was closed without the doctor's consent; 
on which occasion he presented a petition to the House of Commons, complaining of the conduct 
of the sheriffs ; but the house declared it frivolous and vexatious. 

On the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th of October, a very sharp 
contest was carried on between John Smith, Esq. Lord Rancliffe, and Richard Arkwright, junior, 
Esq. The occasion was this : — D. P. Coke, Esq. declined the honor of again being put in 



CONTESTED ELECTIONS. 303 



nomination, and by public handbill, endeavoured to transfer the party influence which had long 
supported him in his political capacity, to Mr. Arkwright; but in many instances, he had mistaken 
personal attachment for party principle; and therefore his more intimate connections were 
mislead. This was clearly understood by some of his more penetrating political opponents, who 
thought it a fair opportunity of bringing in two members opposed to the war party, the effect of 
whose counsels Nottingham had so wofully felt. But how to find a proper character to oppose 
Mr. Arkwright was the difficulty. Lord Rancliffe had been named, but had been induced, by the 
advice of a few of the more timid of the whigs, to make a public declaration of his intention not to 
stand the contest. Mr. Birch, who had previously maintained three contests, was put in nomination, 
without his knowledge or consent; but this measure was considered more vexatious than prudent, 
and, of course, received but little support. Dr. Crompton made his appearance, and was put in 
nomination; but his system, though purely honest and constitutional, was not calculated to produce 
the wished for success; therefore he received little support; and the first day of the election passed 
away in this, to one party, hopeless, and to the other triumphant condition. In the evening 
however, about eight or ten common working men determined upon a desperate effort; and, at 
their own expense, sent three of their company, in a post chaise to Bunny-hall, to solicit Lord 
Rancliffe to permit himself to be put in nomination the next morning, and to press his personal 
attendance ; while another of the company had previously prepared an answer to Mr. Coke's 
address, which was immediately printed at the company's expense. Lord Rancliffe met the 
application with promptitude and decision; and this determined measure of a handful of poor men 
roused all the latent energies of the party that were friendly to peace and parliamentary reform, 
many of whom had previously voted for Mr. Coke from principles of gratitude or personal 
attachment, he never having made party motives an object of distinction when applied to for the 
exercise of his influence in behalf of those persons that were in difficult or distressed circumstances. 
The state of the poll at the conclusion will fully explain the rest : — 

1812, John Smith, Esq. ....... 

Lord Rancliffe ....... 

Richard Arkwright, Esq. ...... 

.Peter Crompton, Esq. ...... 

Joseph Birch, Esq.* . - - 

Total number of Electors that polled 2781 



• Mr. Birth's name was withdrawn on Lord Raocliffe's nomination, and Dr. Crompton's the third day of the poll. 

t The last contested election we have any knowledge of for the county of Nottingham was conducted oq the 4th and 5th of April, 1722.—; 
The candidates with their respective numbers polled were as follows^— 

No. Polled. 
Sir Robert Sutton, Baronet -..-...... 1349 

Scroop, Lord Viscount Howe - - - - - - . . 1339 

William Levioz, Esq. - - • --- . . -'. 1265 

Honorable Francis Willoughby - • - - -•- . -. 12,57 

Total number of Freeholders that polled 2024 

The two gentlemen returned were of the whig party. 



No. Polled. 




Only Votes 


2013 


- 


35 


1515 




170 


1239 


- 


576 


8 


- 


1 


5 


. 






301 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



CORPORATE CONTESTS. 
SENIOR COUNCIL. 



No. Polled. 
577 
475 



1747, Roger Radforth ......... 

Benjamin Bull .-.--..__ 

Total number that polled 1052 

Mr. Radforth was a butcher by trade; therefore it was sarcastically said, the butcher had hilled 
the bull. 



1780, Joseph Oldknow 


---._. 




No. Polled. 

847 




Only Votes. 
191 


Samuel Eaton 


- 


- 


801 


m 


21 


Henry Green 


...... 


. 


770 ■ 


_ 


110 


George Bnrbage 


- 


- 


527 


- 


9 




Total 


. 


2945 


. 


331 




Number of Burgesses that polled 1639 










1787, Captain John Col 


ishaw ...... 








No. Polled. 
819 


Samuel Heywood, 


attorncy-at.law .... 


- 


- 


. 


232 



Total 
This is the greatest number of electors that ever polled here in one day. 



1051 



The cause of Mr. Heywood's unpopularity was, his proposing to inclose the open fields. 



1788, Samuel Green 

Edward ChattcrU 



J789, Thomas Caunt 
John Buxton 



1793, Robert Cos 



Total 



Total 



Henry Key worth 
Stokcham Huthwaite 



1798, Richard Hooton 
Robert Brown 



Total .... 

Total number of Electors that polled 1075 

JUNIOR COUNCIL. 



Total 







No. Polled. 


- 


- 


52? 


- 


- 


237 


- 


- 


764 


^ 




No. Polled. 


- 


- 


912 


- 


. 


802 


- 


1714 


No. Polled. 




Only Votes. 


631 


- 


520 


516 


. 


9 


465 


- 


9 



1612 



538, 



No Potted. 
868 
684 



1552 



It ought to be observed here, that 111 votes were struck from Mr. Brown's number as improper. 



CONTESTED ELECTIONS. 



305 



1799, James Lee 

John Crosland 



1801, Charles T wells, attomey-at-law 
Joseph Harvey 



1807, Lewis A.llsopp, attorney-at law 
James Ellis - 



Total 



Total 



No. Polled. 
467 
279 



746 



No. Polled. 
172 
125 



297 



No. Polled. 
244 
133 



Total 377 

The reader will find the particulars relative to the last election in the foregoing part of this 
chapter; as also of the election for the reinstatement of the junior council. 



1810, Martin Roe 

Edward Stevenson . 
John Lomas Darker 



No. Polled. 

95 

13 

4 



Total . - ... 112 

On the 26th of April this election was brought on ; and it was one of those scenes which excite 

little else than laughter and contempt: Mr. Stevenson, an industrious framework-knitter, was a 

most convenient instrument in the hands of the populace to discharge the arrows of railery at Mr. 

Darker, which was his declared motive for permitting himself to be put in nomination. 

During the 17th, 18th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, and 25th, of August a very spirited, yet most 

good-naturedly conducted contest was carried on between Mr. James Dale, and Mr. Richard 

Bonington. 



1815, James Dale 

Richard Bonington 



No. Polled. 
1207 
1174 



Total 



2381 



CHAMBERLAIN ELECTION. 

No. Polled. 
1789, John Whitlock ....... - - - 26 

Elihu Samuel Fellows ....... ..25 

Thomas Hunt ...... ....22 

On this occasion there were two contests, the first between Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Hunt, and 
the second between Mr. Fellows and Mr. Hunt; the same number polling for Mr. Hunt both times. 

A contest for chamberlains, is a thing quite unusal, as the mayor elect has a right to chuse his 
own stewards to manage the estate of the burgesses, whose collective body he represents; 
consequently, when the clothing are permitted to control such choice, it must be the result of an 
act of courtesy on his part. 

4 H 



306 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Were I to pass over in silence two of the contests for the office of junior counsellor, namely, 
Brown opposed to Hooton; and Ellis opposed to Allsopp, the reader would justly charge me with 
gross partiality ; it is not on this'ground however, but on that of duty, that the following remarks 
arc made. - - « 

Brown and Ellis were both journeymen stocking-makers, and as such were equal in point of 
rank, as far as circumstances constitute an equality; yet, how different were their pretensions! Mr. 
Robert Brown possessed a -captivating address, with the manners of a polished gentleman, entirely 
free from affectation : he had been favored with a liberal English education ; and his talents were 
of the elevated kind, without that too often accompanying, and disgusting appendage, pedantry. 
He was therefore an acceptable companion to the liberal minded rich ; and, his having advocated 
the cause of his fellow workmen, for which he had been prosecuted and persecuted, had placed 
him very high in popular estimation. And, there is great reason to believe, had he been successful 
in the contest, that an intelligent majority of the corporation would have been glad to have seen 
him thus elected as a member of their body. — In him, talent supplied the place of wealth ; and the 
civic crown would not have been sullied by the sweat of the brow that might have worn it ! 

But how different was the case with James Ellis ! He had nothing to distinguish him from the 
lowly class to which nature had assigned him — among which, in Nottingham, many enlightened 
characters are to be found ; and from which fortune had made a vain effort to exalt him — he had 
nothing to distinguish him, but a prodigal abruptness of manners, and a coarseness of behaviour, 
which had no other effect, except that of sometimes affording amusement to little minds. And, the 
only excuse for his presumption, in putting up for the office of junior counsellor, can alone be 
found in a species of insanity, to which the faculty has not yet given a name. Therefore, if this 
person had been elected, his success would have brought manifest disgrace upon those that elected 
him, and on that body, of whom the late Right Hon. C. J. Fox spoke so highly, and with whom, 
by the force of authority, he would have mixed. 

The evils resulting from bodies of electors supporting persons like this, are far greater than is 
generally imagined: two of which we will name. First, It excites the rich to exert every possible 
effort to narrow down the elective franchise of the people, which, in Nottingham, may be narrow 
enough in thirty years to come, by the military interference with apprenticeships, if the 
corporation do not adopt some corresponding remedy in the qualifications for the obtainment of the 
town's freedom ; and secondly, that very body are brought into disrespect, that have the 
guardianship of the burgess's interests in their hands ; and therefore those interests must be 



deteriorated in a corresponding degree, 



807 






CHAPTER X. 

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE NOBLEMEN THAT HAVE BEEN DIGNIFIED WITH THE TITLE 
OF EARL OF NOTTINGHAM, FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NORMAN POWER 
IN THIS COUNTRY TO THE PRESENT TIME. 



Henry de Ferrariis, son of Walcheiin de Ferriers or Ferrariis, a Norman, was made Earl 
of Nottingham by William the First, who gave him also Tutbury castle and other possessions 
in Staffordshire; and likewise large estates in the counties of Berks, Oxon, Wilts, Lincoln, Bucks, 
and Gloucester. This Henry founded the priory of Tutbury. 

He was succeeded by Robert, his third son, his two elder being dead. He was one of the 
witnesses to the laws made by Stephen in the 1st of his reign ; and, on account of the signal 
services he performed at the head of the Derbyshire men in the battle of Northallerton, or what is 
frequently called the battle of the standard, in 1138, Stephen presented him with the Earldom of 
Derby. But he died the following year, and was succeeded by his son 

Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Ferrers and Derby. He stiled himself, according to Dugdale, 
Robertus comes, Junior de Ferreriis, and likewise comes, Junior de Nottingham, as appears by a 
charter of his dated 1 141, by which he confirmed to the church of St. Oswald of Nostell, whatsoever 
Henry de Ferrers, his grandfather, Engenulph de Ferrers, his uncle, Robert, his father, or any of 
their wives had previously given to that church. He was also a benefactor to Tutbury in 
Staffordshire, the canons of Nostell and other religious institutions in Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and 
Cheshire. He also founded the priory of Derby, which was afterwards translated to Darley. — 
He died in 1165, and- was succeeded by his only son 

William de Ferrers, Earl of Ferrers and Derby. He certified, in the reign of Henry the 
Second, to the holding of seventy-nine knights' fees. He confirmed the grants of his ancestors to 
the monks of Tutbury ; and was bountiful to the knights hospitallers. He married Margaret, 
daughter and heiress of William Peverel, (according to Glover's Catalogue of Honor) whose 
grandfather was natural son to William the First ; the marriage ceremony of which couple was 
performed at Canterbury by the celebrated Thomas a Becket. He died in 1172, and was succeeded 
by his son,* 

Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Ferrers and Derby. He, along with the Earls of Chester, Leicester, 



" It appears that the Peverels were Dot Earls, but Lords of Nottingham ; for Camden says, " William, surnamed the Conqueror, made his natural 
" son William Peverel, ruler of this county, not by the title of Earl, but Lord of Nottingham." It also appears that the property of the barony 
belonged to the Lards of the town, till some time after Peverel was ousted of it by Henry the Second. 



308 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Norfolk, &c. joined young Henry against his father and sovereign, who, from a thoughtless 
indulgence, had caused his unnatural son to be crowned in his life time. Our Earl, on this 
occasion, garisoned his castles of Tutbury and Duffield, and entered Nottingham, which he partly 
destroyed, with a hostile army, because it adhered to the interest of the old king. When fortune, 
as well as justice, had declared in favor of the injured monarch, Robert made his peace with him, 
on condition of surrendering the above named castles, which the king, very prudently, demolished. 
To make peace also with heaven, according to the fashion of those days, Robert founded the 
priory of Woodham- Ferrers in Essex; and died in 1189. 

William de Ferrers, his son, succeeded him in his titles of Earl of Ferrers, Nottingham, and 
Derby; but was afterwards deprived of the two latter earldoms by Richard the First, who gave them 
to John, Earl of Morton, his brother, and afterwards king of England. Our dispossessed Earl, 
however, followed Richard in his wars into Palastine, and lost his life at the siege of St. John de 
Acre; nor were any of his family possessed of the earldom of Nottingham from that time, 
whatever some writers may say to the contrary. 

John Plantagenet, already governor of Nottingham castle, and in possession of the honor of 
Peverel, with the property of the barony, had the earldoms of Nottingham and Derby conferred 
upon him by his brother Richard ; which favors he requited by endeavouring to usurp the throne 
in the absence of the latter, for which the faithful Longchamp, bishop of Ely, deprived him of his 
honors and commands. The generous Richard, however, restored to his ungrateful brother his 
dignities and power, which he held till he became king himself in 1 199. From this time the title 
of Earl of Nottingham lay dormant till it was conferred upon 

John de Mouhray in 1377, by Richard the Second on the day of his coronation. This young- 
gentleman was honored with the title of Earl of Nottingham at twelve years of age ; nor was it 
long before he gave an open instance of his manhood, for, though he died before he had attained 
the age of eighteen, he obtained the title of Lord Maubray of Axholm, by Elizabeth Seagrave his 
wife, daughter and heiress of Margaret Brotherton, Duchess of Norfolk. At his death, Richard 
bestowed the title of Earl of Nottingham upon 

Thomas Mouhray, his younger brother, who was immediately after created Duke of Norfolk. — 
But he did not long enjoy these distinguished honors ; for he died in February, 1381. 

Thomas Mouhray, or Morhray, was created Earl of Nottingham in 1382, and hereditary 
Marshal of England and Duke of Norfolk in 1398. He used to stile himself Duke of Norfolk, 
Earl of Nottingham, Marshal of England, Lord of Mouhray, Segrave, Gower, and Brews. 
This gentleman did not, however, long enjoy his estates and high dignities in peace ; for, shortly 
after his being created Duke of Norfolk, he was banished the realm by the king ; the occasion of 
which is thus related by historians: — The Duke of Hereford charged the Duke of Norfolk with 
having spoken words to the dishonor of the king, which he positively and indignantly denied : the 
affair became serious, and, according to the custom of those times, was to be decided by single 
combat ; the victor in such cases always being supposed innocent. But the king interposed his 
authority, just as the combatants were about to engage, and, by the force of his arbitrary power, 
he banished Hereford for ten years, and Norfolk for the term of his natural life. Hereford retired 



EARLS OF NOTTINGHAM. 309 



to Paris, and his father, the Duke of Lancaster, dying shortly after, who was also uncle to the 
king, he assumed the title of Duke of Lancaster, and afterwards deposed the arbitrary Richard, and 
was crowned king of England by the name of Henry the Fourth ; and thus laid the foundation of 
those destructive wars between the houses of Lancaster and York. Fortune dealt otherwise with 
the subject of this memoir ; for he died of grief at Venice the first year of his rival's reign. His 
first wife, who died without issue, was Elizabeth Strange, daughter of Sir Thomas Strange, who 
was son and heir to Lord Strange, of Blackmore. His second wife was Elizabeth, sister and 
coheiress of Thomas Fitz Allen, Earl of Arundel by whom he had three daughters and two sons, 
the eldest of whom, , 

Thomas Moubray, enjoyed the title of Earl of Nottingham by courtesy from the time of his 
father's elevation to the dukedom of Norfolk. He also enjoyed the marshalship of England by 
inheritance. He married Constance, daughter of John Holland, Earl of Huntington and Duke of 
Exeter, and Elizabeth, daughter of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster ; but left no issue ; he 
died in 1405, and was succeeded by his brother 

John Moubray, who, in 1425, had the dukedom of Norfolk restored to him. He married 
Catharine, daughter to Ralph, Lord Nevil, the first Earl of Westmoreland ;; and died in 1432. 

John Moubray, Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Nottingham, Earl Marshal of England, Lord 
Moubray, Segrave, and Gower, succeeded his father. He was created Knight of the Garter by- 
Henry the Sixth, by whom he was employed to negociate a peace with France ; and in the first of 
Edward the Fourth, was constituted Justice Itinerant of all the royal forests south of Trent; but 
died in 1461, and was buried by the high altar in the Abbey of Thetford, in all probability in 
consequence of his having made two pilgrimages to Rome and one to Jerusalem, &c. His wife 
was Eleonora, daughter of William Bouchier, Earl Ewe in Normandy, by whom he had 

John Lord Moubray, who, in his father's life time, was created Earl of Warren and Surrey by 
Henry the Sixth, came by inheritance to the titles of Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Nottingham, Earl 
Marshal of England, and baron Segrave and Gower. At his death, which happened in 1476, the 
Moubray family became extinct in the male line, he leaving no issue except an only daughter, 
whom Edward the Fourth married to his son 

Ricliard Plantagenei, Duke of York, who inherited all the Moubray titles and estates in right 
of his wife. This match was made by Edward for the purpose of casting' wealth and consideration 
into the hands of this his son, since his extreme youth, for years to come, must prevent the 
consummation of the marriage ; and which anticipated felicity wa* finally prevented, by the Duke 
of Gloucester, afterwards Richard the Third, for he murdered the young prince, along with his 
hapless brother, Edward the Fifth, while the. latter was under thirteen years of age, for the purpose 
of clearing his way to the throne. 

The vast inheritance of the Moubrays now descended to the Howards and Berkleys, through 
Margaret and Isabel, daughters of Thomas Duke of Norfolk. Sir John Howard, son of Sir 
Robert Howard and Margaret, heiress of Thomas de Moubray, created Duke of Norfolk by Richard 
the Third in 1483 ; in a few days after that savage had so foully stolen the crown ; and the same 
year was presented with the title of Earl Marshal of England by the same hypocritical tyrant. And 

4 I 



310 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



■ JVil'ia/Ji, Lord Berkley of Berkley castle an Gloucestershire, .son' of James, Lord Berkley, and 
Isabel, daughter of Thomas, Duke of, Norfolk, was- created EtU'l of Nottingham ; he having 
previously been raised to the dignity of a Viscount by Edward the Fourth. This nobleman, we 
are told, had such an aversion to the usurpation of Richard, that he entered into conspiracy to 
dethrone him. which being brought to light before the plot was ripe for execution, he was 
necessitated to quit the kingdom, and he fled to the Duke of Richmond in Brittany, who after 
becoming king, by the name of Henry tia©I Seventh, created him Earl Marshal of England. He 
had three wives, but left issue by noiie of them ; and disapproving of the matrimonial choice of his 
brother Maurice, his heir-at-law, on account of his wife's plebeian parentage, he disinherited him of 
the greater part of the family estates, particularly, of the castle and barony lands of Berkley, and 
gave them to the king, a great part of which continued in the possession of the crown till the death of 
Edward the Sixth ; and the title of Earl of Nottingham, it seems, lay dormant, till it was confered 
upon ■''■■- ' '" 

Henry Fitz Roy by Henry the Eighth, a natural son of that monarch's by Elizabeth, daughter 
of Sir John Blount. This love-begotten branch of the royal stock was but six years of age when 
he was dignified with the above title, as well as that of Duke of Richmond, at which time he was 
also constituted Lieutenant-General of the king's forces north of Trent, and Warden of the Scotch 
marches. Shortly afterwards he, was made Admiral of England; and, in the. 22d of Henry the 
Eighth, the Lieutenancy of Ireland was given to him, Sir William Skeffington being constituted his 
deputy. He was also created Knight of the Garter in two years afterwards. He married Mary, 
daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, she brought him no issue; he died in 1536. 

Charles, Lord Hozvardoi Effingham, son of William Howard, head of the eldest collateral 
branch of the Howards, was/during his father's, life, one of the persons commanded by Elizabeth- 
in the 13 th of her reign, to conduct. the lady Anne of Austria, daughter to the Emperor. Maximilian, 
from Zealand to Spain; and three years afterwards was installed Knight of the Garter; He was 
likewise made Lord Chamberlain to the queen, which) situation his father had previously held. In 
the 28th of Elizabeth he succeeded the Earl of Lincoln as Lord High Admiral of England ; and is 
stated to have been the idol of the sailors, which, coupled with his known valour, was of the utmost 
importance to his ccAni%vin 1588, when lie iMekt'e^ the. professedly invincible Spanish Armada. 
For this, and other ; services performed against the Spaniards, he/was created Earl of Nottingham } 
and he caused a representation, in tapestry or needle- work, of the engagement with the Armada to 
be wrouoht and hung up in the House of Lords, where it bangs at the present time. In the 
preamble of .tlse, patent by which he wasrcxealddiElarl of Nottingham, it was represented that this 
dignity rwas. c^aferxed upon him, :partIy/on account (rifohis services intaking- Cadiz in 1596, which 
very much enraged the Earl of Essex, who. conceived the merit all his own; and he offered to 
assert his claim against the Earl of Nottingham, or any of his kindred in single combat. Preparative 
to the coronalion oHJ/anWs the First: this nobleman was Lord High Steward, whose duty it is to 
precede the-kingon suehi occasions wi-tib. a drawn* sword. To his first .wife this nobleman married 
Catharine;, daughter >of nHonry:- (Gary) Lord Hunsdon, by whom he had two sons, William and 
Charles', the former dying in his father's. life time, hut not before he had married Anne, daughter 



EARLS OF NOTTINGHAM* 811 



and sole heiress to Lord St. John of Bletsoe, by whom he left one daughter, who was married to 
John, Lord Mordaimt, in Bedfordshire, afterwards Earl of Peterborough. His second wife was 
Margaret, daughter of James Stewart, Earl of Murray in Scotland, she being naturalized by act 
of parliament in the first of James the First. By her he had two sons, James who died young, 
and Charles, who was afterwards knighted by James the First. He died in 1625, at the advanced 
age of eighty-eight. 

Charles, his second son by his first wife, seems to have inherited little of his father's greatness, 
except his titles and hereditary estates ; therefore we will pass him over with observing, that this 
branch of the Howards became extinct in 1681, the barony descending to Francis Howard of 
Great Buckham in Surry. 

In the succession of the Earls of Nottingham hitherto I have followed Deering ; and partly so 
in the circumstances; but the account of the two next great characters is given from the supplement 
to the Biographical Dictionary. 

Heneage Finch, Earl of Nottingham, was the son of Sir Heneage Finch, Knight, sometime 
Recorder of London, and, in the first year of Charles the First, Speaker of the House of Commons; 
who was a fourth son of Sir Moyle Finch, of Eastwellin the county of Kent, a younger branch of 
the noble family of Winchelsea. He was born in the year 1621, educated in Westminster school, 
and became a gentleman commoner of Christ-church-College in Oxford, 1635. After he had 
prosecuted his studies here for two or three years, he removed to the Inner Temple, where, by his 
diligence and good parts, he became a noted proficient in the municipal laws, was successively 
barrister, bencher, treasurer, reader. &c. 

Charles the Second, on his restoration, made him his Solicitor-General, and advanced him to the 
dignity of a Baronet, by the name of Sir Heneage Finch of Raunstone in Buckinghamshire. He 
was reader of the Inner Temple the next year, and chose for his subject the statute of 39 Eliz. 
concerning the payment and recovery of the debts of the crown, at that time thought very seasonable ; 
and he treated it with great strength of reason, depth of law, and admirable sense. 

In April, 1661, he was chosen a member of parliament for the University of Oxford ; but, says 
Mr. Wood, he did us no good, when we wanted his assistance for the taking off the tribute 
belonging to hearths. In 1665, after the parliament then sitting at Oxford, had been prorogued, 
he was in full convocation, created Doctor of civil law ; he being at that time one of the four 
members that had communicated the thanks of the House of Commons to the University, for their 
reasons concerning the solemn league and covenant, negative oath,&c. made in 1647. The 
creation being over, the Vice-chancellor, in the presence of several parliament men, stood up and 
spoke to the public orator to do his office. The orator made an admirable harangue, and said, 
amon«- other things, to this effect, That the University wished they had more colleges to entertain 
the parliament men, and more chambers, but by no means more chimnies; at which Sir Heneage 
was observed to change countenance, and drew a little back. 

When the disgrace of the great Lord Chancellor Clarendon drew on, in 1667, and he came to 
be impeached in parliament, for some supposed high crimes, Sir Heneage Finch, still Solicitor- 
General, sheued himself very active and forward against the noble Earl, and very frequently 
spoke in those debates, which ended at last in the banishment of that greatly unfortunate man. We 



312 HISTOBY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



,should have taken notice before, that he shewed himself in like manner, very busy though but 
according to the duty of his place, at the trial of the late king's judges, on which occasion he made 
several speeches and discourses. 

In the year 1670, the king was pleased to appoint him his Attorney-General ; and about three 
years after upon the removal of the Earl of Shaftsbury from being Lord Chancellor, he was made 
Lord Keeper. Soon after he was advanced to the degree of a baron, by the title of Lord Finch of 
Daventry, in the county of Northampton (he being then owner of that manor) by letters patent 
bearing date the 10th of January, in the 15th year of Charles the Second, and upon the surrender 
of the great seal to his majesty, on the 19th of December, 1675, he received it immediately back 
again, with the title of Lord High Chancellor of England. 

He performed the office of Lord High Steward at the trial of William Lord Viscount Stafford 
who was found guilty of high treason by his peers, for being concerned in the popish plot. In 
1681 he was created Earl of Nottingham, as a reward for his many faithful services ; and in the 
year following, he died at his house in Queen-street, in the 61st year of his age, being quite worn 
out with too much business, which his station and office required. Though he lived in xery 
troublesome and ticklish times, yet he conducted himself with so regular, exactly poised, and such 
even steadiness, that he still retained the good opinion both of his prince and of the people. He 
was distinguished by his wisdom and eloquence, and was such an excellent orator, that some have 
stiled him the English Roscius, the English Cicero, &c. Bishop Burnet, in the preface to his 
History of the Reformation, tells us that his great parts, and greater virtues were so conspicuous, 
that it would be a high presumption in him to say any thing in his commendation, being in nothing 
more eminent than in his zeal for, and care of the church of England. 

His character is excellently described by Mr. Dryden, in his Absalom and Achitophel, under 
the name of Amri, thus : — 

Our list of nobles next let Amri grace, 
Whose merits claim'd the AbethdiD's high place j 
Who, with a loyalty that did excel], 
Brought all the endowments of Achitophel. 
Sincere was Amri, and not only knew, 
But Israel's sanctions into practice drew ; 
Our laws that did a boundless ocean seem, 
Were coasted all, and fathom'd all by him. 
No Rabbin speaks like him their mystic sense, 
So just, and with such charms of eloquence: 
To whom the double blessing does belong, 
With Moses's inspiration, Aaron's tongne. 

Under the name of this worthy person, are published, several speeches and discourses in the 
trial of the judges of king Charles the First, see in the book entitled, An exact and most impartial 
account of the indictment, arraignment, trial, and judgment (according to law J of twenty-nine 
regicides, 8$c. London, 1660, qu. 1679, Oct. 

Speeches to both Houses of Parliament, 1th Jan. 1673, 13th of April and \Sth of Oct. 1675, 
Vjth of Feb. 1676, 6th of March, 1678, and 30th of April, 1679. These were spoken while he 
was Lord Keeper and Chancellor. 



EARLS OF NOTTINGHAM. 313 



Speech at the sentence of William, Viscount Stafford, 7th December, 1680, printed in one 
sheet, folio ; and in the trial of the said Viscount, p. 212, 213. 

Answers by his majesty's command, upon several addresses presented to his majesty at 
Hampton-court, the 19th of May, 1681, London, 1681, in one sheet, in folio. 

His arguments ; upon which he made the decree in the cause between the Honorable Charles 
Howard, Esq. plaintiff, Henry, Lord Duke of J\orfolk, Henry, Lord Moubray his son, Henry 
Marquis of Dorchester, and Richard Marriott, Esq. defendants ; wherein the several ways 
and methods of limiting a trust for terms ofyearSj are fully debated, Land. 1685, in nine 
sheets, in folio. 

He also left behind him, written with his own hand, Chancery Reports, MS. in folio. 

Daniel Finch, Earl of Nottingham, was the son of the foregoing, by Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. 
Daniel Hervey, merchant of London. He was born about the year 1647, and educated in Christ- 
church, in the University of Oxford, and entered early into the world, serving in several parliaments 
in the reign of king Charles the Second, for the city of Litchfield, and for the borough of Newton, 
in the county of Southampton. In 1679, he was constituted first commissioner of the Admiralty, 
and sworn of the Privy-council; t<nd, in the latter end of the year following, spoke with great 
vigour in the House of Commons, against the bill for the exclusion of the Duke of York, declaring, 
" that the kings of England do not rule by virtue of any statute law," as had been suggested by 
some persons on the other side of the question, " since their right was by so ancient a prescription, 
" that it might justly be said to be from God alone ; and such as no power on earth ought to dispute." 

Upon the decease of his father, December the 18th, 16S2, he succeeded him in his titles and 
estate ■ and on the death of Charles the Second, was one of the Privy-council who signed the order, 
dated at Whitehall, February 6th, 1684-5, for proclaiming the Duke of York king of England. — 
In that reign, his lordship and the lords Hallifax and Mordaunt, afterwards Earl of Peterborough, 
were the chief arguers, among the temporal lords, against abrogating the test act, which they 
considered the strongest fence of the Protestant religion. Upon the trial of the seven bishops, 
he was present in the court with several other noblemen ; and his brother, Mr. Heneage Finch, 
afterwards Earl of Aylesford, was one of the counsel for these prelates. His lordship was likewise 
among those noble patriots, who, from a true zeal for their religion and their country, often met to 
concert such advices and advertisements, as might be fit for the prince of Orange to know, that he 
might govern himself by them. But it being proposed to him, to invite that prince into England, 
he did not think proper to agree to it. The secret had been disclosed to him by the advice of the 
Earl of Danby and Doctor Compton, bishop of London ; and the rather, as his lordship had great 
credit with the whole church party, being possessed, says Bishop Burnet, with their notions, and 
grave and virtuous in the course of his life ; besides, he had stood at a great distance from the court 
all this reign ; for though his name was still among the privy counsellors, yet he never went to the 
board. He, upon the first proposition, entertained it, and consented to it. But at their next 
meeting he said, he had considered better of that matter ; and that his conscience was so restrained 
in these points, that he could not go further with them in it. He confessed indeed, he should not 
have suffered them to go so far with him in such a secret, till he had examined it better. However, 

4 K 



314 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



though his principles would not permit him to proceed with them, his affections would make him 
wish well to them, and be so far a criminal, as Concealment could make him one. 

Upon the prince of Orange's landing- in the west, he was one of those lords, who drew up a 
petition, presented to the king, on November the 17th, advising him to call a parliament, regular 
and free in all respects ; to which his lordship was for having- added, " that the peers who had 
"joined the prince, might sit in that free parliament." But this, by the other lords, was thought 
unnecessary. He . afterwards was one of the commissioners sent by his majesty to treat with the 
prince. 

When the convention was opened, he was the principal manager of the debates in favor of a 
regent, against those who were for setting- up another king; supporting his opinion by many 
arguments, drawn from the English history, and adding a late instance in Portugal, where Don 
Pedro had only the title of regent conferred upon him, while his deposed brother lived. However, 
he owned it to be a principle grounded on the law and history of England, that obedience and 
allegiance were due to the king, for the time being, even in opposition to one, with whom the right 
was thought still to remain. He likewise told Bishop Burnet, that though he could not argue nor 
vote, but according to the notions which he had formed concerning our laws and constitution, he 
should not be sorry to see his own side out-voted ; and that though he could not agree to the making 
of a king, as things stood, yet if he found one made, he would be more faithful to him, than those 
who made him, could be, according to their own principles. 

When king William and queen Mary, therefore, were advanced to the throne, he was offered 
the post of Lord High Chancellor of England, which he excused himself from accepting, alledging 
his unfitness for an employment, that required a constant application ; but was appointed one of 
the principal secretaries of state. In 1690, he attended his majesty to the famous congress at the 
Hague; and king James the Second, took such umbrage at his services, that in his declaration upon 
his intended descent in 1692, his lordship was excepted out of his general pardon. 

In March, 1693-4, he resigned his place as principal secretary of state ; and the year following, 
had a public testimony given to the integrity of his conduct, in a very remarkable instance ; for, 
upon an examination in parliament, into the bribery and corruption of some of their own members, 
in order to obtain a new charter for the East India company, it appeared, by the deposition of Sir 
Basil Firebrace, that his lordship had absolutely refused to take 5000 guineas for his interest in 
promoting that charter, and £5000, on passing the act for that purpose. 

Upon the accession of queen Anne, he was again appointed one of the principal secretaries of 
state, and in that station, had a vote of the House of Commons passed in his favor, tf that he had 
"highly merited the trust her majesty had reposed in him;" and the like sanction from the 
House of Lords. However, on April the 17th, 1704, he resigned that employment, and accepted 
of no other post during all that reign, though large offers were made to engage him in the court 
interest and measures, upon the change of the ministry in 1710 ; his refusal of which so exasperated 
the opposite party, that he was attacked with great virulence in several libels, both in verse and 
prose. He continued therefore to give his opinion upon all occasions with great freedom, and in 
December, the same year, distinguished himself by a vigorous speech in the House of Lords, 
representing, that no peace could be safe or honorable to Great Britain, if Spain and the West 



EARLS OF NOTTINGHAM. $15 



Indies were allotted to any branch of the house of Bourbon ; and had so much weight in that 
house, that the clause, which he offered to that purpose, to be inserted in the address of thanks, in 
answer to her majesty's speech, was, after a warm debate, carried. He soon after moved likewise 
for an address to the, queen, that her majesty would not treat except in concert with her allies. 

When his majesty king- George the First succeeded to the crown, his lordship was one of the lords 
justices for the administration of affairs till his arrival ; and on September 24th, 1714, was declared 
Lord President of the Council. But on February 29th, 1715-16, he retired from all public business 
to a studious course of life; the fruits of which appeared in his elaborate answer to Mr. Whiston's 
letter to him upon the subject of the trinity; for which, on March 22d, 1720-21, he had the 
unanimous thanks of the University of Oxford in full convocation. He died January 21st, 1729-30. 

By his first wife, the Lady Essex Rich, second daughter, and one of the co-heirs of Robert Earl 
of Warwick, he had issue one daughter; and by his second, Anne, only daughter of Christopher 
Lord Viscount Hatton, he had five sons and eight daughters. He was remarkably skilled in 
the whole system of English law, as well as in the records of the parliaments; and these 
qualifications, joined to a copious and ready eloquence, of which he was master, gave him great 
weight in all public assemblies. 

Daniel Finch, Earl of Nottingham and Winchelsea, son to the foregoing, was elected one of the 
Knights of the Shire for the county of Rutland in 1711, in which capacity he served until he came 
to the peerage. On the accession of George the First, he was appointed a gentleman of the Bed- 
chamber to the prince of Wales, and, in October, 1715, was constituted one of the Lords 
Commissioners of the Treasury; but shortly after resigned his employments. In May, 1725, he 
was made Controller of his Majesty's Household, which office he resigned on the death of his father. 
In the year 1729, his lordship married Frances, daughter of the Right Honorable Basil Fielding, 
Earl of Denbigh, by whom he had a daughter; but, her ladyship dying in 1734, his lordship, in 
January, 1737-8, married Mary, daughter and co-heiress to Sir Thomas Palmer, Baronet, of 
Wingham in Kent, by. whom he had seven daughters. His lordship died in August, 1769, and was 
succeeded in his titles and estates by 

George Finch, his nephew, who, in 1777, was appointed one of the Lords of his Majesty's Bed- 
chamber ; and, in 1779, he was constituted Lord Lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county 
of Rutland. His lordship's titles are, Earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, Viscount Maidstone, 
Baron Fitzherbert of Eastwell, Baron Finch of Daventry, and a Baronet. His chief seats are, 
Burley, in the county of Rutland, Raunston, in the county of Buckingham, and Eastwell in the 
county of Kent.* 



* This nobleman, together with the late Duke of Dorset, the present Sir Horace Mann, &c. were members of the famous Hambledon Club, and 
these three, assembled at the Star and Garter, Pall Mall, for the express purpose of settling a new code of laws by which the game of cricket has ever 
ince been regulated. His lordship however, has of late cultivated a taste for an amusement of a nobler nature, that of agriculture. He keeps in his 
)wn hand an extensive farm at Burleigh, and according to the report of the Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, of which he is a member, this peer 

is a great grower of Swedish turnips." His lordship is author of a humane letter " on the Advantages of Cottagers renting Land." This peer 
lever having been married, the heir-presumptive is George Finch Hatton, Esq. of the county of Kent. In 1T88, the Earl of Winchelsea divided with 
ministers on the question of the Regency. On the 22d of January, 1789. this nobleman, then a Lord of the Bedchamber, rose to vindicate his owti< 
^dependence as an officer of his Majesty's Household, and considered all insinuations to the contrary " as merely meant to answer the temporary 
' purposes of faction and party.'' Oq the trial of Viscount Melville in 1808, bis lordship voted him " guilty" on the second and third charges. 



31G HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



CHAPTER XI. 

NOTTINGHAM WORTHIES. 



Without ranking them indiscriminately with the worthies, it may not be improper, at the opening 
of this chapter to name those characters of note, that, at different periods of our history, have chosen 
this town as an occasional place of residence, and who are frequently more remarkable for the 
exalted station in which fortune has placed them, than for refined susceptibility and sensibility of 
the heart, or for exalted endowments of the mind. Of this description we can name, William the 
bastard, commonly, though improperly, called the conqueror, king Stephen, Henry the Second, 
Richard the First, king John, Henry the Third, Edward the First, Edward the Second, queen 
Isabella and her paramour Mortimer, Edward the Third, Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, 
Edward the Fourth, Richard the Third, who marched hence to meet his fate at the battle of Bosworth, 
Henry the Seventh, Henry the Eighth, James the First, the elector Palatine and his brother prince 
Rupert, queen Anne, and William the Third. Among the noblemen and gentlemen of fortune 
that have resided here are the following: — Lord Edward, Earl of Rutland, Sir Thomas Manners, 
brother to this Earl, Sir William Courtney, son to Lord George, Earl of Shrewsbury, Sir Thomas 
Stanhope, Sir Thomas Willoughby, Sir Anthony Strelley, Sir Edward Stanhope, Thomas, Lord 
Scroope, Sir Henry Pierrepont, Sir John Byron, Sir John Zouch, Sir Philip Strelley, Sir Henry 
Cavendish, son to the celebrated countess of Shrewsbury, Henry, Lord Stanhope, Sir Edward 
Osborne, Sir Thomas Peckham, Sir Thomas Hunt, the Earl of Clare and his son, Lord Houghton, 
Sir Thomas Hutchinson, and Sir Thomas Walmsley. 

The only authors of early note, whose names have been handed down to us are, William de 
Nottingham, a provincial of the Augustinian order, who died in 1336. Among other things he 
wrote a Concordance of the Evangelists, which was in high repute among the religious during ages. 
Johannes Plough, rector of St. Peter's, Nottingham, for defending with his pen the right and 
necessity of clergymen marrying, against Hoggard, who asserted the necessity of celibacy, was 
forced to seek shelter at Basil in Switzerland to avoid the persecuting harpies ; he however had the 
good fortune to die in peace in 1550. And, William Bright-more a native of this town, who wrote 
an illustration of the Book of Revelations, and died in the early part of the seventeenth century. 

COLONEL JOHJY HUTCHIJYSOJST. 

In reading over the Memoirs of this great man's life, so exquisitely written by his amiable widow, 
we find, whether we view him as a warrior, a patriot, a moralist, or a christian, that he is alike 
worthy the imitation of mankind. As a warrior he was provident, patient sagacious, merciful, 
and a stranger to fear : he loved his soldiers with the tenderness of a father; and was by them 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 317 



.beloved, while they dreaded his frown more than the weapons of the foe As a patriot, his 
attachment to his country and the liberties of the people surpassed every other earthly consideration : 
for those two objects he sacrificed his property and his beloved retirement; and as such he became 
the butt of the parasites of corruption and: arbitrary power. As a moralist he possessed all the 
virtues of a Seneca or a Plato, without the avarice of the one, or ihe self-sufficiency of the other. 
Like Socrates he taught benignity by example and the precepts of philosophy; and, like him 
despised the scoffs -of trad ucers and the allurements of wealth. Asa christian, he was devout 
without bigotry; and sincere without affectation— his cheeks would have crimsoned at the practice 
now so generally pursued by professors, of seeking to conceal hypocrisy with the assumed mantle 
of holiness; the consequence of dishonesty in some, and of ignorant self-sufficiency in others. — 
" To number his virtues," to use the language of his sublime memoirist, " is to give the 
<c epitome of his life, which was nothing else but a progress from one virtue to another, till in a 
" short time he arrived to that height, which many longer lives never reach; and had I but the 
" power of rightly disposing and relating- them, his single example would be more instructive than 
" all the rules of the moralists." And again, "as he never regarded his life in any noble and just 
" enterprise, so he never staked it in any rash or unwarrantable hazard., He was never surprised, 
" amazed, nor confounded with great difficulties or dangers, which rather served to animate than 
li distract his. spirits; ! he made up his accounts with life and death, and fixed his purpose to 
" entertain both honorably."* 

John Hutchinson, the subject of these remarks, was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Hutchinson, 
of Owthorp, in this county, and Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir John Byron, of Newstead, 
and was born in Nottingham, September 1616, his parents having removed from Owthorp to their 
house on the High-pavement a snort time before, on account of a scarcity of food for their -cattle, 
•which was occasioned by a preceding dry season. He received the rudiments of his education at 
the Free School, in Stoney-street, under Mr. Tibbalds, from which he was removed to a school, 
at Lincoln; but was afterwards brought back to Nottingham to have his education perfected. He 
married Lucy, the daughter of Sir Allen Apsley, Lieutenant of the; Tower of London, by whom 

' _ :-. ; ': : ' __ . . ■...-■-' ■ 

• How much U adds to the Colonel's fame and judgment in having male choice of such a woman for his wife! The following extracts from the 
Corporate Records maybe acceptable to the reader : — 23d, November, 1645— Thomas Gamble; Maior. — Quest. If the Governor (Col. John Hutchinson) 
shall be sworne Burges payinge his xlb.— Resolved upon the Quest, (null contradic) that hee shall, and thereupon hee beinge then at the hall was 
sworneand sent for and paid xlb. accordingly. — Question. How this xlb. shall bee disposed of.— Resolved upon the question that it shal bee given hym 
againe and his bu^gesshipp given, (and this to bee noe president nor example.) — 1st. Because the cornpany desired him to accept of it. — 2d Because hee 
is not of any trade or profession to hinder any other Burgesses' — 3dly. Because hee hath done faithfull and good service in his place to the state and 
garrison His xlb. beeinge given hym againe, in thankfulness, hee gave 5lb. of it to the poore, whereof 50s. was delivered to Mr. Hooton for Marie's 
parish, and 50s. to Mr. H. James for the other two parishes. 

3d September, 1645 — Willus Nixe, Maior.— This companie are agreed (null contradic) that Captin Mason shall bee sworne burgess, freely, payinge 
nothinge for the same, (it to be noe prejudice nor example for the future) to auy other, for theis reasons. Because 1st. Hee is Captain of many towns- 
men volunteers for defence of the towne, and hath performed that place faithfully with great paines and charge— 2d. Hee is of the committee and 
therein hath and may doe the towne good service— 3d. He is of noe trade or occupation manuall or other that will hinder or prejudice any former 
Burgess in any respect, neither will he (if any occasion bee) hinder but doe what he can for the good of the Corporotion and the members of it. 

From this it appears, that the corporation, so late as 1645, continued to designate their body by the appellation ot company, an appellation 
tunsequeot upon their emanation from the guild or company of merchants. 

4 L 



318 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



he had four sons and four daughters ; the latter of whom we know nothing of, except that Adeliza, 
the youngest, had the honor of being buried in her father's vault, and that another of them was 
married to a gentleman of the name of Orgill. 

Concerning- the sons, the Rev. Julius Hutchinson, editor of the memoirs, speaks thus, when 
noticing the pedigree of the family, * This pedigree shews that Colonel Hutchinson left four sons, 
"of which the youngest only, John, left issue two sons; and there is a tradition in the family, that 
" these two last descendants of Colonel Hutchinson emigrated, the one to the West Indies or 
" America, and the other to Russia ; the latter is said to have gone out with the command of a 
n ship of war, given by Queen Anne to the Czar Peter, and to have been lost at sea. One of the 
** female descendants of the former, the editor once met by accident at Portsmouth, and she spoke 
" with great warmth of the veneration in which his descendants in the new world held the 
" memory of their ancestor Colonel Hutchinson." — And happy it is that there is a new world to 
appreciate such transcendent virtues ! 

To attempt an illustration of the virtues and abilities of the Colonel's lady, after seeing them 
shine forth in so eminent a manner in her inimitable, I had almost said, divine writings, would be 
like attempting to give whiteness to the snow, or brilliancy to the sun. Though she was of a 
tender and delicate frame and constitution, yet, while she retained all the endearing- virtues of the 
one and the habits of the other, she laid aside the feminine qualities of the mind, and embarked 
with her husband on the stormy sea of contending politics and bloody warfare, because she 
considered the liberties of her country jn danger. She deemed it not beneath her to dress the 
wounds of the bleeding warriors when in the midst of the battle's hottest rage — she administered 
styptics with her hands, and sweet consolation with her tongue ; and while she assuag-ed the 
anguish of the wound, she expelled fear from the mind. 

The circumstance which brought Mr. Hutchinson into public notice, when faction was about to 
distract the nation and to deluge the soil with native blood, was Lord Newark's attempting- to take 
the ammunition from the Guildhall, in 1641, and apply it to the king-'s use, which was the 
property of the county trained bands. Mr. Hutchinson having- been at York* to present a petition 
to the king in behalf of the freeholders and middling class of the county, praying- him to return to 
parliament, and, on his return to Owthorp, he called at the house of Mr. James, mayor of this 
town, merely to learn the news of the day, when Mrs. James informed him that Lord Newark and 
Sir John Dig-by, high sheriff of the county, were at that very time preparing- the means of taking- 
the ammunition from Guildhall. In consequence of this information he hastened thither along- with 
his brother, Mr. George Hutchinson, to inquire into the affair. On this occasion a very interesting- 
dialogue took place, which, as the subject of it is so intimately connected with the remarkable 
events which took place in this town shortly after — as the dialogue itself shews in so striking a 
manner the duplicity of the king's agents, and the mild, yet determined disposition of our 
Nottingham hero, we will give it at length. 



* This was probably in November, as the king passed from Scotland to London during this month. 






COLONEL HUTCHINSON, 319 



DIALOGUE 
Between Mr. John Hutchinson and Lord Newark, afterwards Marquis of Dorchester. 

Mr. H. My lord, hearing that there was some question concerning the county's powder, I am 
come to kiss your lordship's hands, and to beseech you that I may know what your desires and 
intents are concerning it. — L. N. Cousin, the king desires to borrow it of the county, to supply 
his great necessities. — Mr. H. I beseech your lordship, what commission have you to demand this? 
— L. N. Upon my honor I have a commission from his majesty, but it is left behind me ; but I 
will engage my honor it shall be repaid the county. — Mr. H. Your lordship's honor is an 
engagement which would be accepted for more than I am worth ; but on such occasions as this, the 
greatest man's engagement in the kingdom cannot be satisfaction to the county ! — L. N. The 
king's intents are only to borrow it, and, if the county will not lend it, he will pay for it. — Mr. H. 
My lord, 'tis not the value of the powder we endeavour to preserve ; but in times of danger, as 
these are, those things which serve for our defence are not valuable at any price, should you give us as 
many barrels of gold as you take barrels of powder ! — L. N. Upon my faith and honor, cousin, it 
shall be restored in ten days. — Mr. H. My lord, such is the danger of the times, that, for ought 
we know, we may in less than four days be ruined for want of it ; and I beseech your lordship to 
consider how sad a thing it is, in these times of war, to leave a poor county and the people in it, 
naked and open to the injury of every passenger ; for, if you take our powder, you may as well 
take our arms, without which we are unable to make use of them ; and I hope your lordship will 
not disarm the county. — L. N. Why ! who should the county fear ? I am their Lord-Lieutenant, 
and engaged with my life and honor to defend them ! What danger are they in ? — Mr. H. Danger, 
yes my lord, great danger ! There is a troop of horse now in the town ; and it hath often happened 
so, that they have committed great outrages and insolences, calling divers honest men puritans 
and rogues, with divers other provoking terms and carriages. I myself was abused by some of 
them as I passed on the road. I chanced to meet some of these gentlemen, who, as soon as Ipast, 
inquired my name, and, being told it, gave me another, saying among themselves, that I was a 
puritan and a traitor ; as two or three honest men that came behind told me. Besides, your 
lordship may be far off, and we ruined before you can come to us, being unarmed and not able to 
defend ourselves from any body ; and this county being a road through which, under the name of 
soldiers, rude people daily pass from north to south, and terrify the county ; which, if they knew 
to be naked and unarmed, they would thereby be encouraged to greater violence and mischief.* — 
— L. N. The king's occasions are such and so urgent, I cannot dispense with it for any reasons, 
but must have it ! — Mr. H. I hope your lordship will not deny, that the county hath a right 
interest, and property in it! — L.N. I do not deny it. — Mr. H. Then, my lord, I hope his 
majesty will not command it from them. — L. N. No, he doth but desire to borrow it. — Mr. H. 
Then, I hope, if he do but desire to borrow it, his majesty hath signified his request to those that 
have interest in it, under his hand. — L. N. Upon my honor he hath, but I have left it behind me. 



* We here find the old English notion of self defence fully explained — resistance to the insolence of soldiers by force of arms was what the people 
»ere prepared for, and thought lawful to execute; for the Lord-Lieutenant of the count; admits the position, by not denying or questioning it. 



320 HISTORY OF .NOTTINGHAM. 



— Mr. H. I beseech your lordship then, that you would not take it away, till "you have acquainted 
the county with it, who only have power to lend it ; and if your lordship be pleased to do this, I 
will engage myself, that, by to-morrow at twelve o'clock, that part of the county who have an 
interest in the powder shall wait on your lordship and give you their resolution.— L. N. The king's 
occasions cannot admit of that delay. — Mr. II. 1 beseech your lordship, yet be pleased to consider 
the dangerous consequences of taking it without the county's consent ;. and be pleased but to stay 
till they come in. — L. N. That time is more than his majesty's necessities can dispense withal. 

" With that," says Mrs. Hutchinson, " Mr. Hutchinson went down stairs, where by that time a 
" good company of the county were gathered together, to whom he told what my lord had said to 
" him ; and they desired him that he would but stand to them, and they would part with the last 
" drop of blood out of their bodies before he should have the powder $ and said besides, that they 
" would go up and break my lord's neck and the sheriff's out of the windows ; but Mr. Hutchinson 
" desired them to stay below, till he had once more spoken to my lord ; and then, taking only one 
" or two more with him, went up and spoke to my lord ;" — 

Mr. H. My lord, I am again, at the request of the county, that are below, come to your lordship, 
and do once more humbly beseech you, to consider the business you are about, before you proceed 
further in it, for it may prove of dangerous consequence if you go on. — L. N. Cousin, I am 
confident it cannot, for the county will not deny this to the king.- — Mr. H. Its very probable they 
will not, if your lordship please to have patience till they can be called in, that they may be 
acquainted with his majesty's desires. — L. N. His majesty :is very well assured of the willingness 
and cheerfulness of the greater part of the county to it.-— Mr. H. I'do not know what assurances 
his majesty hath of it, but if you please to look out of this window, (pointing to the countrymen 
below in the streets) you will see no inconsiderable number gathered, who,. I fear, will not be 
willing to part with it. — L. N. Those are but some few factious men, not to be considered. — Mr. 
H. My lord, we have been happy yet in these unhappy differences, to have had no blood shed ; 
and I am confident your lordship is so noble, and tender of your county, that it would very much 
trouble you, to have a hand in the first man's blood that should be spent in this quarrel. — L. N. 
Cousin (speaking contemptuously) it cannot come to that : fear it not, his majesty's occasions are 
urgent, and must be served. — " Here," continues Mrs. Hutchinson, :c the county came very fast 
"■ up, which, when the cavalier captains saw, they slunk down." — Mr. H. Why then, my lord, I 
must plainly tell you, not one here but will lose every drop of blood out of his body, before he will 
part with one corn of it; without your lordship can shew either a command or a request for it 
under his majesty's hand and seal : or that the county be called together to give their free consent 
to it; for we have all property and interest in it, being members of this county, and it being 
bought with our money, for the particular defence and safety of the same. 

" My lord," observes our memoirist, " desired to borrow part of it ; but, that being denied, he 
" turned to Sir John Digby, and took him to the window, where, after he had whispered with him 
" a while, Sir John laid down his pen, ink and paper, with which he had been taking an account 
" of the powder, match, and bullets. The countrymen desired my lord aloud, that he would not 
" take away their powder out of the county ;" upon which, turning to them, he spoke thus : — 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 321 



Gentlemen, his majesty was assured by some, of the cheerfulness of the county's affections to him, 
which I am very sorry to see so much failing in, and that the county should come so much short of 
this town, which hath cheerfully lent his majesty one barrel of powder ; but it seems he can have 
none of you ! I pray God you do not repent this carriage of yours towards his majesty, which he 
must be acquainted withal.* " A countryman standing forth," says Mrs. Hutchinson, " asked his 
w lordship this question" — ff Whether, if he were to take a journey into a place where, probably, 
" he might be set upon by thieves and robbers, and having a charge about him, if any friend 
" asked him to lend his sword, he would part with it, and go himself without ? My lord, the case 
" is ours — our lives, wives, children, and estates, all depend upon this county's safety ; and how 
" can it be safe in these dangerous times, when so many troops and companies pass through, and 
" commit outrages and abuses amongst us, if we have not arms and powder wherewith to defend 
<e us ?" — " My lord," says Mrs. Hutchinson, " made no reply ; but bade the men, whom he had 
" employed to weigh the powder, desist ; and so went down the stairs. Mr. Hutchinson followed 
" him ; and, as he went, an ancient gentleman, who was with my lord, whose face and name were 
"both unknown to him, came to him and said these words : — Stand to it ! I'll warrant yow 
ic gentlemen, it is well done ! And, as they walked through a low room, my lord took Mr. 
" Hutchinson aside and said : — Cousin, I must acquaint the king with this!" — Mr. H. My lord, 
its very likely you must, being employed upon his majesty's service — give him an account. — L. N. 
Nay cousin, (smiling) I mean not so, but must acquaint him, and I am sorry I must, that you are 
the head and ringleader of a faction, whereby you hinder his majesty's service. — Mr. H. My lord, 
I do not conceive how this can be a faction, I speaking only, out of the noble respect and honor I 
bear your lordship, in private to you, to prev e nt a mischief, the sense of these men, who, I 
perceived were come to know by what authority, and why, their powder, which is their proper 
goods and only means of safety, in these times of danger, should be taken from them ; and, if it 
were a faction, I am not at the head of it ; I accidentally coming to town from Sir John Byron's 
last night, and neither knowing nor imagining any of this business, was this morning importuned 
to wait on your lordship, at the Town's-hall, by many countrymen, who informed me you were 
taking away their powder out of the county. — L. N. Cousin, if you can answer it, I shall be glad 
of it; but I'll assure you I must let his majesty know. — Mr. H. If his majesty must know it, 1 am 
very happy I spoke to none but your lordship, who, I am confident, is so noble, that you will 
neither add nor diminish any thing to my prejudice ; and then I am confident the justness and 
reasonableness of what I have said, with my innocence in speaking it, will bear me out. — L. N. 
Cousin, but your name is up already ! — Mr. H. It may be so, my lord ; and I believe those that 
set it up had no good wishes to me; and as it rose, so in the name of God let it fall: for I know 
my own clearness and innocence in any thing that can be objected against me. — L. N. Well, 
cousin, well, I am glad of your good resolution. 

In a note, at the close of this interesting dialogue, the editor of the Memoirs observes, " How 



• It appears, from what fell from his lordship, that the town kept a separate depot of ammunition, which was probably held iu the Exchange- 
hall 

4 M 



322 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" my lord may have reported this matter to the king signifies little ; but he probably remembered 
" as a kindness, Mr. Hutchinson's interposition between him and the more rough arguments of the 
" countrymen ; for there appears to have existed, on all suitable occasions, an intercourse of 
" friendship during the remainder of their lives." 

Notwithstanding Mr. Hutchinson was young in years, and his residing at Owthorp, ever after 
his manly conduct on the above occasion he was looked upon by the people of Nottingham as 
their champion, when their liberties and property were in danger. Thus, in 1642, just before the 
king set up his standard here, on some of his troops, under the command of the high sheriff, being 
sent to seize the ammunition they had been balked of the preceding year, and also to plunder the 
inhabitants of their arms, the mayor sent immediately to Owthorp to acquaint Mr. Hutchinson ; 
which, probably, the freebooters got a hint of, for they decampt with the ammunition before he 
had time to arrive. Shortly after this event, Mr. Hutchinson came to reside at the family mansion 
in this town, which the quarter- master of the king's forces attempted to take possession of for the 
use of Lord Lindsey, who had the command of them ; but Mr. Hutchinson shewed him the door, 
which so offended the coxcomb, that he obtained a warrant to apprehend him as a traitor, 
notwithstanding Lord Lindsey was satisfied as to the propriety of his conduct. To avoid the 
consequences, however, Mr. Hutchinson retired into Leicestershire, and subsequently into 
Northamptonshire, in the latter of which counties he persuaded two gentlemen of considerable 
fortunes to make a present of their moveable property to parliament, instead of giving it to the 
king, for whose use they had gotten it together ; and thus compensated for his late failure at 
Nottingham respecting the ammunition. 

Towards the close of this year, Mr. Hutchinson returned to Nottingham, and there joining with 
the most respectable of the inhabitants in raising troops for the parliamentary service, he gave his 
plate and horses towards accomplishing the object. About this time Sir John Digby endeavoured 
by means of treachery, to get Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. Francis Pierpoint, third son of the Earl 
of Kingston, into his hands; but, through the sagacity of the former, he failed in his attempt. — 
This circumstance however was not without its effect ; for the people of Nottingham saw, from 
this act of perfidy, the taking away of their ammunition, &c. that neither the promises nor oaths 
of the king or his agents were to be depended upon ; they therefore set seriously about arming in 
their own defence ; about seven hundred of whom formed themselves into regiments, and chose 
Mr. George Hutchinson to command them pro tempore, he being well known in the town, from 
his having almost constantly resided in it, and being well beloved for his condescension and 
liberality. Thus was this important place secured to the parliamentary interest. Mr. Francis 
Pierpoint was appointed commander of the Nottingham troops, with the rank of colonel; and Mr. 
Hutchinson and his brother George were constituted his lieutenants. A committee was also chosen, 
consisting of gentlemen of the town, with whom the commander was to consult on particular 
occasions, and who, of course, would have some control over his actions. Colonel Pierpoint, 
perhaps not being over pleased with his delicate and, in some degree, restrained line of action, 
delegated his authority to Mr. Hutchinson, as second in command ; and the lady of the latter 
insinuates, that his motives in so doing were not over honest towards her husband. 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 323 



The first act in which our hero signalized himself as a military man, was in the attack upon 
Newark, in 1643, where he acted in the capacity of lieutenant-colonel under the command of one 
Ballard, at the head of some Lincolnshire men. But, Ballard was a traitor, or coward, or both; 
and, all the glory which Colonel Hutchinson could gain, was that of being the last to retreat ; 
anc, by keeping the Newarkers in awe, as a lioness retreats growling vengeance to her pursuers, 
while her young obtain a place of safety, he succeeded in bringing away his cannon and his brave 
Nottingham men in triumph from the scene of action. The queen being shortly after at Newark, 
and endeavouring to join the Earl of Newcastle, in order to surprise Nottingham, Colonel 
Hutchinson was sent to London to acquaint the parliament with the perilous situation of the town; 
and he so effectually executed his mission, that he obtained an order for Lord Grey, Sir John Cell, 
and Colonels Cromwell and Hubbard to rendezvous at Nottingham, which completely frustrated 
the designs of the queen. On the 29th of June, this year, our hero was invested with the 
command of our castle by Sir John Meldrum and the town committee, in preference to Colonel 
Pierpoint, who had fallen under suspicion, in consequence of his father's having declared for the 
king. Nor had he been long invested with this authority, before he was constrained to exercise it 
with some severity; for, on Sir John Meldrum's being ordered, in July, to draw the forces from 
Nottingham to the relief of Gainsborough, he found it necessary to draw the ordnance, consisting. 
of fourteen pieces of cannon, up to the castle, leaving the extensive works which had been 
constructed about the town in a defenceless condition ; because by attempting to defend them, 
which he could not do effectually for want of men, he must have left the castle, which was the only 
place he could fully depend on, without a garrison. In consequence of this proceeding, cabals 
were formed against him by the royalists, who had hitherto been kept in awe,, and plans for giving 
up the town were in contemplation, a knowledge of which coming to his ears, he seized Alderman 
Drury and fourteen others, whom he sent prisoners to Derby, under the command of Major Ireton. 

The colonel now set about putting the castle in a state of defence : he had three hundred chosen 
men under his command ; and he obtained from London forty barrels of powder, and a 
proportionate quantity of ball. He likewise invited the committee and other respectable 
inhabitants of the town into the castle, where he maintained them, and the garrison too at his own 
expence, until some time in August, when he received a small supply of cash from parliament. — 
During this month, the Earl of Newcastle sent a flag of truce by a Major Cartwright, to demand 
the surrender of the castle ; but the colonel returned for answer, that the fortress should never 
be yielded to a papistical army and an atheistical general ; and if any lord would have that 
poor castle, he should wade to it in blood. The Earl took the hint, and never more sought to 
put the colonel's courage to the test. His courage being thus established, his fidelity was 
immediately after put upon its trial, by an offer from the royal party to give him indemnity for the 
past, and security, honors and command, if he would consent to betray his trust; but they found 
his fidelity equally proof against their allurements, as his courage was against their threats.. The 
first attempt was made upon his honor by Sir Richard Byron, under the most flattering and friendly 
testimony ; and the second by a Mr. John Wood, a magistrate of the county, who made many 
flattering professions and promises in the king's name. For these proofs of the colonel's courage 



324 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



and fidelity, parliament, on the 20th of November, 1643, constituted him governor of the town, 
as well as of the castle ; and accompanied the investiture of their authority with an honorable 
acknowledgment of his great services in the cause of the people. An event, however, was 
destined to prove, that a mortal can be incorruptable. 

The royal forces had been sufficiently successful in the neighbourhood to enable a party thereof 
to take a station very near the town, among whom was a Colonel Dacre, who had lived on terms 
of the closest friendship with Mr. Hutchinson ; he therefore sent to ask permission of the latter 
to admit him to make a friendly visit to the castle. The colonel sent the necessary protection, 
when an interesting interview took place, which ended in Colonel Dacre's soliciting Colonel 
Hutchinson, his brother George Hutchinson, lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Poulton to return the 
visit to his quarters. And, as the brave take pleasure in rising superior to suspicion, this solicitation 
would have been complied with, had not some persons in the castle raised objections to it after the 
departure of Colonel Dacre. Colonel Hutchinson therefore sent Captain Poulton to excuse the 
absence of himself and brother, when Colonel Dacre produced a commission, signed by the Earl 
of Newcastle, in these words : — " These are to authorize Colonel Dacre to treat with Colonel 
fi Hutchinson, and Lieutenant-colonel Hutchinson, for the delivery of Nottingham castle and the 
" bridges ; and to make them large promises, which shall be performed by TV. Newcastle."— 
These promises were, that Colonel Hutchinson should be received into royal favor, have the castle 
conferred in perpetuity upon himself and heirs, have ten thousand pounds in money, and be created 
a peer of the realm. To Lieutenant colonel Hutchinson, for delivering up the bridges, three 
thousand pounds, and what command he should choose in the army ; and two thousand pounds to 
Captain Poulton, if he negociated the business with effect. In order to settle this affair with the 
greater secrecy, Colonel Dacre proposed meeting the party at St. Ann's-well. But, instead of 
attending to the appointment, the three gentlemen sent indignant letters by a drummer to Colonel 
Dacre ; and thus ended a business which was dishonorable to the royal cause, and shed an eternal 
lustre upon our hero, his brother, and their cousin Captain Poulton. 

Noble, the writer of the lives, or rather the defamer of the character of the fifty-nine gentlemen 
that tried and condemned to the block Charles Stuart, king -of England, makes the following 
remarks on the above circumstance. iC Colonel Hutchinson hereby lost a fine opportunity of 
« aggrandizing himself and his family, which doubtless they must regret." This very honorable 
writer here informs the world of the value of his fidelity, if fortune, in one of blind freaks, had 
put him in a place of trust ; and to whose ig-Noble observation the Rev. Julius Hutchinson thus 
replies : — cc Every discerning gentleman is here informed that the editor of this work, (Memoirs 
" of the Colonel) who is the only representative of Colonel Hutchinson in these kingdoms, is 
" much more proud of his descent from so virtuous a man, than from the most illustrious traitor." 
This declaration is worthy of a Hutchinson ! 

When we consider that the colonel had seldom more than three or four hundred men under his 
command in this important station, notwithstanding, like the lord of the forest, he kept the country 
in awe for miles around, it is not to be supposed that many opportunities would occur wherein he 
could display those traits of personal courage which rendered so conspicuous some of the beroes of 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 325 



antiquity. The event, however, which we are about to mention, will shew, that he was not inferior 
to Alexander himself in personal courage, when circumstances required its display 

In the autumn of 1645, when the king 1 , after the memorable battle of Naseby, had retired to 
Newark with the shattered remains of his army, Major-general Poyntz was ordered to harrass the 
neighbourhood of that town, preparative to its being besieged by an army of Scots, then proceeding 
from the north ; when our colonel informed Poyntz, how prejudicial it would be to the general 
interest to suffer Shelford to remain in the enemy's hands. At the same time Colonel Hutchinson 
solicited and obtained permission to write to Colonel Stanhope,* commander of the garrison, to 
surrender his charge on honorable conditions, but the valiant colonel returned a scornful answer, 
and observed, among other elegant expressions, that he would lay Nottingham castle as flat as a 
pancake. It was then determined to storm the garison at Shelford ; and Colonel Hutchinson, at 
his own solicitation, had permission given him to lead on the attack at the head of his brave 
Nottingham troop. Having obtained possession of the town, he was, during the night, most 
terribly annoyed by some Shelford soldiers that had secured themselves in the church, and from 
thence played violently upon his men. In vain he fired at, and threatened them with immediate 
death, when taken, if they did not surrender; but they alike derided his fire and his threats; being 
secured against the former by the walls of the church, and having, as they thought, obtained 
protection against the latter by barricading the belfry door, and drawing up the bell ropes. The 
colonel, however, collected a quantity of straw, and set fire to it below them ; and these fellows, 
who had laughed at his fire, were obliged to yield to his smoke. A regiment of Londoners 
received orders to commence the attack upon the garrison on one side, while the colonel and his 
men scaled the walls on the other, he having first, amidst a shower of bullets, to fill up a ditch 
over which he was obliged to pass. This work completed, the difficulty of escalading- was very 
great, on account of the ladders being twenty staves too short ; and on account of the men on the 
walls casting down destructive materials upon the assailants. But nothing could withstand the 
ardour and impetuosity of the colonel — he was the first that scaled the walls, and, " with his 
ic trenchant sword," cut through whole ranks, and killed the captain of a celebrated regiment of 
papists belonging to the queen, after which the men gave way. The Londoners being repulsed, 
the whole weight of the garison fell upon the brave Hutchinson and his not less brave Nottingham 
followers, who, notwithstanding the invincibility of their conduct, must have been overwhelmed 
with numbers, had not Lieutenant-colonel Hutchinson, the colonel's brother, forced down a draw 
bridge for the admission of General Poyntz ; who, on his entry, ordered that no quarter should be 
given to the besieged. f The slaughter was now continued with the most rancourous fury, until 
the colonel made his way over heaps of dead to beg of the general the lives of the then surviving, 
which amounted but to one hundred and forty persons. Among these was the boasting pancake 
Colonel Stanhope, who had hidden himself during the assault: but, being now found, was dragged 



• Colonel Stanhope was related to Colonel Hutchinson, on account of the father of the latter having married, to his second wife, Stanhope's aunt, the 
lister of his father the Earl of Chesterfield. 

f The colonel, on this occasion, divested himself of his casing armour, that he might be the better enabled to use his sword, 

' 4 N 



320 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



out of his concealment, stripped naked, wounded, and cast upon a dunghill. In this deplorable 
condition he was found by the colonel ; but, instead of triumphing over a fallen enemy, whose 
vain boastings had only excited his pity and contempt, the circumstance afforded him an opportunity 
of displaying the generosity of his heart — the lion became a lamb at the sight of human woe — he 
ordered the bleeding soldier to be conveyed to his own quarters — directed his own surgeon to dress 
his gaping wounds ; while he attended his bed side and poured the conciliating language of 
friendship into his ear. With his tears he bathed the pallid cheeks of the sufferer, and sent up his 
prayers to the Father of Mercies for his recovery ; but fate bade defiance to his balsams and 
anodynes, and heaven, on this occasion, disregarded his prayers ; and Colonel Stanhope learnt in 
the hour of death how to appreciate the advice and friendship of a brave and virtuous man.* 

The year following Colonel Hutchinson was returned to parliament by the county, but did not 
attend his duty therein until after the fall of Newark, the capitulation of which he signed on the 
part of parliament, after having, during the siege, experienced many ic hair's breadth escapes." — 
Many other circumstances, worthy of notice in the military career of our hero, will be found under 
the heads " Trent Bridges, Castle, &c." which of course we shall not recapitulate. 

Were we to enter into the minutia of his political connections during the great struggle for 
liberty, in which he performed so conspicuous a part, it would be to write the history of our 
country during that eventful period. We must say, however, that he was constantly beset by a 
nest of wretches, with whom he was necessarily leagued, who were ever watchful to complot his 
overthrow, because his integrity was a constant barrier against their knavery ; and because, on 
every investigation into the conduct of the separate parties, their characters suffered by comparison 
with his. He likewise frequently befriended many of them in their necessities ; and, certain it is, 
that friendship conferred upon a knave is sure to excite his most inveterate hatred ; because, from 
the want of principle to be honorable, and of courage to be just, he seeks for the ruin of his 
benefactor, as a cover to his own ungrateful and disgraceful conduct. Colonel Hutchinson was 
obliged to arm his declared enemies in his own defence, against his professed friends, because he 
concluded that his own honesty, frankness, and good nature, would act upon the candour of the 
former, as the loadstone does upon metallic substances, which he found to be the case ; while the 
outward shew of friendship from the latter was like a dagger suspended over his head by a hair. 
His conduct, like gold in the chymist's laboratory, always came out of the crucible of faction with 
increased lusture ; while an increase of contempt was the wages of those that sought to deteriorate 
his fame. When he surrendered the command of the castle to Captain Poulton, his services were 
rewarded by parliament with a grant of five thousand pounds, the whole of which he distributed 
among those that had served under him, notwithstanding he was so poor, from having borrowed 
money to supply the exigencies of his party, and from his lands having lain uncultivated, that 
he could not afford for some time to rebuild his mansion at Owthorp, which had been ravaged by 



• Shelford Manor-house, according to Collin's, was taken on the 27th of October, 1645. Most writers on this subject have charged the republicans 
■with wantonly setting fire to (his mansion; but Mrs. Hutchinson asserts, that it was burnt by the country people to prevent its being a trouble to 
them any longer. "Wiverton-house submitted to the victors the next day. 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 327 



the royalists. In short, by the mildness of his disposition, the conspicuousness of his virtues, his 
manly courage, and incorruptability of heart, he raised a shrine for the incasement of his 
immortality, at which the most exalted may look with envy, and the envious may gnash their teeth 
in the bitterness of despair ; while the truly noble hearted will drop the tear of admiration.* 

As a proof of Colonel Hutchinson's determined spirit to oppose arbritrary power, in whatever 
person it might appear, and of the truth of the {concluding circumstance in the last note, 
Cromwell withdrew his commission for the government of the Isle of Jersey the very day he was 
constituted " Captain-general-in-chief of all the forces raised, and to be raised, by authority of 
" parliament within the commonwealth of England," notwithstanding that commission had been 
granted by Lord Fairfax, at the earnest solicitation of the inhabitants of Jersey. It is true, that, 
prior to this, Cromwell had endeavoured to procure for the colonel the command of Hull, which 
he positively refused to accept of; first, because he thought that that crafty general wanted to 
attach him to his ambitious views ; and secondly, because the commission was to be obtained by 
intrigue, and at the expence of the man who then held it, without any charge of dishonor being 
brought against his conduct : the colonel therefore undertook to plead his cause to prevent his 
commission from being taken clandestinely out of his hands ; and thereby kept him in his 
command. Another remarkable instance of Cromwell's dread of Colonel Hutchinson, as a military 
man, is to be found in the following circumstance. When it was thought that Cromwell's situation 
was dangerous, and the country's still more so, through that general's permitting Charles the 
Second, to enter England with a powerful army of Scots in 1651, a short time previous to the 
battle of Worcester, the council of state gave a commission to the colonel to raise two troops in 
Nottingham and the county, with an order for him to join Cromwell with all convenient dispatch. 
He soon raised three troops among his old soldiers, who wished for an opportunity of serving 
under him again ; but, when they arrived at the army, Cromwell dispersed them among his broken 
regiments, and left the colonel no men to command; therefore his commission ceased to be of any 
use. And we have Cromwell's own words for the bravery of these men in the battle of Worcester; 
for, in his letter to parliament, which contains an account of the victory, he says, " Your new 

i* The beautiful passage we are about to give from Mrs. Hutchinson, respecting the death of Colonel Tliomhagh at the battle of Preston, 
Lancashire, when Cromwell defeated the Scots uDder Duke Hamilton on the 17th of August 1648, will plead in excuse for our thus stepping a little 
out of the way. Colonel Thornhagh owned the delightful seat at Fenton, in the north of this county; was chosen representative for the borougli of 
Retford, in 1646-, and was the particular friend of Colonel Hutchinson. The passage alluded to is as follows:—" In the beginning of the battle, the 
" valiant Colonel Thornhagh was wounded to death. Being, at the beginning of the charge, on a horse as courageous as became such a master, ho 
" made such furious speed to set upon a company of Scotish lancers, that he was singly engaged and mortally wounded before it was possible for his 
* regiment, though as brave men as ever drew a sword, and too affectionate to their colonel to be slack in following him, to come time enough to 
" break the fury of that body, which shamed not to unite all their force against one man ; who yet fell not among them, but being faint and all 
" covered with blood, of his enemies as well as his own, was carried off by some of his own men, while the rest, enraged for the loss of their dear 
" colonel, fought not that day like men of human race : deaf to the cries of every coward that asked mercy, they killed all, and would not a captive 
" should live to see tlieir colonel die; but said the whole kingdom of Scotland was too small a sacrifice for that brave man. His soul was hovering 
" to ta'e her flight out of his body, but that an eager desire to know the success of the battle kept it within, till the end of the day, when the news 
" being brought him, he cleared his dying couutenaDce, aud said, I now rejoice to die, since God hath let me see the overthrow of this perfidious 
" enemy — I could not lose my life in a better cause ; and I have the favor from God to see my blood revenged : he then expired. 

Af(er the death of this brave man, his soldiers petitioned to have Colonel Hutchinson for their commander, as the only man worthy to supply his 
place ; but Cromwell feared the honesty of the latter too much to trust him with a command, which he had the power to prevent ; he therefore 
tontrolled the proposed appointment. 



328 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" raised forces did perform singular good service, for which they deserve a very high estimation 
" and acknowledgment." 

The commission which authorized the colonel to sit in judgment upon Charles the First, he 
received with great reluctance ; nor would he act under it, until, by prayer and supplication, he 
considered himself called upon by a power, superior to kings and parliaments, to take part in that 
novel trial. And as a proof that justice, and not blood, whs his object, he never could be induced, 
either as member of parliament or counsellor of state, to consent to the death of any other 
state criminal, however notorious his actions had been against the parliamentary interest; always 
advancing this noble axiom on such occasions — that mercy and gentle admonition will create 
friends ; while the blood of one of our countrymen but fosters the seed of real enemies ! 

As a counsellor of state, which station he occupied two years, he possessed ample facilities of 
enriching himself by compounding with the unfortunate royalists for their forfeited estates, or by 
taking bribes to support their fallen interests ; practices which some of his colleagues were 
dishonorable enough to pursue. But Hutchinson, instead of thus acting, made it part of his 
business to seek out supplicants, whose causes he pleaded before the council, with all the warmth 
of a settled friendship ; and the only recompence he ever received, resulted from the approbation 
of a good conscience, and from an honorable ambition in having stood between poverty and many 
of those persons that had been marked as victims to be sacrificed at its cruel altar. He likewise 
rescued several from an ignominious death by his kind interference ; one of whom we will 
mention : — Duke Hamilton, the Earl of Holland, Lord Capell, Lord Goring, and Sir John Owen, 
had been condemned to death by a second high court of justice, of which the colonel refused to 
be a member ; and great interest was made in parliament to save the lives of the peers, when he 
observed, that no one spoke in behalf of the poor knight, which partiality so moved his generous 
soul, that he told Colonel Ireton, who sat by him, if he would second him, he (Mr. Hutchinson) 
would make a motion in favor of the neglected man, to which the other assented. On inquiry 
they found that Sir John Owen had sent a petition to the clerk of the house, accompanied with a 
desire for him, to prevail upon some member to present it; but he declared that he had not been 
able to find one who would undertake the task. With this, these two generous relatives* presented 
the petition, and supported it so effectually, that they obtained the unhappy man's liberty as well 
as his life : the others with the exception of Lord Goring, were executed. And not the least 
remarkable part of this business is, though these gentlemen had thus acted towards a friendless 
stranger, he never gave them thanks for their pains. Ingratitude, what a monster thou art ! 
and yet how many cherish thee in their bosoms ! Mr. Hutchinson alike detesting tyranny in 
whatever shape, or in whose conduct soever it might appear, when Cromwell assumed the reins of 
power, he retired to his estate at Owthorp, where, in the sweets of domestic felicity, he endeavoured 
to forget the crimes of other men, and his own former dangers, his watchings and his toils. He 
now rebuilt his mansion, and stored it well with good old English hospitality. He planted 
woods, and laid out gardens, lawns, and vistas ; and nursed the rising objects of his solicitude 

■ , , , , ■ ' ■ ' =^s 

• Colonel, afterwards Geuer..! Ireton, was a native of Attenborrow in this neighbourhood ; and was cousin to Colonel Hutchinson. 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 329 



with a mother's care. He became the principal preceptor to his children, and the patron of the 
fine arts. As a magistrate he was indefatigable — he caused hordes of beggars to disappear, by 
giving them employment; and he restored harmony and comfort to a divided and disordered 
peasantry, more by example and persuasive eloquence, than by the corrective hand of power. — 
After this, it will be needless to add, that he was bountiful to the poor.* 

Mr. Hutchinson's felicity was not interrupted till the year 1659, when Richard Cromwell, after 
the death of his wonderful father, pricked him for the office of high sheriff for the county, for the 
pitiful purpose of preventing his being elected a knight of the shire, in the parliament then about 
to be chosen. He therefore hastened to London to resent this act of preclusion ; but Richard, 
by exonerating himself from the intrigue, and by representing the service the colonel might 
perform in the county, if he consented to accept the office of high sheriff, so wrought upon his 
good nature, as to cause him to yield. But Richard, finding the government too heavy for his tame 
and unambitious spirit to bear up against ; and, what is very probable, he might receive a 
compensation to resign, which would be no difficult ask to furnish, as his parliament was held in 
great contempt ; it was therefore found necessary to call in those members that had been turned 
out of the house by Cromwell in 1648, of which number Mr. Hutchinson was one, who took his 
seat accordingly. Having occasion to come home shortly after, to settle some domestic business, 
he heard, when about to return to London, that Lambert had dissolved the parliament by force. — 
Lambert and Fleetwood, the latter of whom had married Ireton's widow, knowing his irreconcilable 
hatred to tyranny, and dreading his lion-like courage, his great influence and the inexhaustable 
resources of his mind, thought themselves unsafe in their assumption of power so long as he was 
at large ; they therefore determined, if possible, to get him into their toils. But, before their 
artifices could get the better of his sagacity, the army deserted them ; and the twice excluded 
members were again called upon to take their seats in parliament. This event took place on the 
26th of December, 1659. 

Things being now considered desperate on the part of the republicans, many of the royalists 
made overtures to Mr. Hutchinson to join their party, under the most impressive promises of 
forgiveness for the past, and honors and rewards for the future. To such overtures he always 
presented a stern inflexibility of soul, being determined not to hasten the ruin of a cause which he 
had exerted all his virtues to support. He was also solicited to join Lambert against Monk, after 
the treachery of the latter was no longer doubted; but he gave an absolute refusal, on account of 
the former's manifest intention to ape Cromwell in power, without his genius to direct it. This is, 
perhaps, the only instance in which the sternness of Mr. Hutchinson's virtue stood in the way of 
his country's good. For, being idolized by the army, and reverenced by the people, he might have 
joined Lambert for the overthrow of Monk; and, when the latter object had been accomplished, 



• We will relate an anecdote here, which would have broken the thread of the text:— At the death of Ireton, to whom Hutchinson was most 
sincerely attached, Cromwell, in order to mortify the republican stiffness of our hero, neglected to invite him to the funeral, nor did lie send him 
mourning, the doing of which was the custom of those times. In consequence Mr. Hutchinson, by way of innocent revenge, appeared among (he 
Hiourn^rs dressed in a suit of scarlet laced with gold. Cromwell, in confusion, apologized, and Hutchinson treated him with contempt 1 

4 O 



330 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



which, with the invincibility that Hutchinson's fame would have drawn around the republican 
standard, would not have been a very difficult task, he might have caused Lambert and Fleetwood 
to have been impeached for their violation of the sanctity of parliament ; and thus by one stroke 
have rid the nation of three men, that, after having- been the defenders of its liberties, were seeking- 
by different means, to enslave it. But Hutchinson missed this opportunity: and the nation was 
again doomed to be cursed with the rule of the Stuarts. 

Notwithstanding- the gloom which now seemed to overshadow his future fortunes, new honors 
still awaited the hero of our narration. Very early in 1660, a general election took place, when 
the freeholders of the county strongly solicited Mr. Hutchinson to become again their representative; 
but he, out of courtesy to Mr. Wm. Pierpoint, gave way to Lord Houghton, his son-in-law ; and so 
great was the disappointment when he could not be found in the town, that many of the freeholders 
refused to give their suffrages, particularly fifty from Newark, a town against which the colonel 
had tarried on such bitter warfare. About the same time, such violent animosities took place 
between the soldiers quartered at Nottingham and the inhabitants thereof, that lives were lost and 
many were wounded on both sides : nay, the soldiers absolutely formed in the meadows for the 
purpose of storming- the town ; and most likely the two parties would have come to the most 
dreadful extremities, as they were alike determined, had not Mrs. Hutchinson, who carried in her 
character the charms and influence of her husband's name, and who happened to be in the town, 
prevailed upon them to desist, until such time as each party could send up their complaints to 
General Monk. An agent of the army, however, got the start of the deputation sent by the 
inhabitants, and he obtained an order from the general, with which he posted down, to sack the 
houses of those that had rendered themselves obnoxious to the soldiery. But Mr. Hutchinson, no 
doubt being made acquainted with the circumstances of the case by his lady, called upon Monk 
the same day in which the order had been issued against the inhabitants; and, by his persuasive 
reasoning, he obtained a counter order, and sent a messenger with it with all possible speed ; but 
still the counter order did not arrive until the soldiers had rifled some of the houses ; so eager were 
these protectors of the people's lives and fortunes to shew that they were not destitute of courage. 
This timely stoppage of a crying mischief went not without its reward ; for when the day came 
for electing members of parliament for the town, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Arthur Stanhope, and Dr. 
Plumptre were put in nomination, the latter violently opposing- the former, though he owed his 
preferment in life to Mr. Hutchinson's father; but his ingratitude could not induce the freemen of 
Nottingham to be ungratetul also ; they being determined to convert their preserver into their 
protector, by constituting him their representative in parliament. 

A period was now fast approaching which was to finish the glorious career of Colonel Hutchinson's 
active life, by the investiture of the crown into the hands of Charles the Second — by the obscenities 
of a libertine court, and the miseries attendant upon misrule. The presbyterians, as they were 
called, to be revenged on the independents, for not following their religious dogmas, joined with 
the high tories in parliament, in voting for the restoration, which, as is generally known, took place 
on the 29th of May, 1660 ; and in June, all those members that had been concerned in the late 
king's death, were called upon to speak for themselves ; when Mr. Hutchinson, the moment this 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 331 



intimation was given, said; "That for his actings in those days, if he had erred, it was the 
* inexperience of his age, and the defect of his judgment, and not the malice of his heart, which 
iC had ever prompted him to pursue the general advantage of his country more than his own ; and 
" if the sacrifice of him might conduce to the public peace and settlement, he should freely submit 
<c his life and fortune to their dispose. That the vain expence of his age, and the great debts his 
'' public employment had run him into, as they were testimonies that neither avarice nor any other 
" sinister interest had carried him on, so they yielded him just cause to repent that he ever forsook 
" his own blessed quiet, to embark in such a troubled sea, where he had shipwrecked all things, 
" but a good conscience. And, as to that particular action relative to the king, he desired them to 
" believe, he had that sense of it, which befitted an Englishman, a christian, and a gentleman." 

After this short, but unpremeditated address, which was much applauded by, and made a deep 
impression upon the house, he retired to a private lodging near Westminster Abbey, there to wait 
ia calm resignation the bursting of the threatening storm.* Shortly after out comes a proclamation 
which enjoined all those that had sat in judgment upon the king to deliver themselves up to royal 
clemency, except seven, against whom the door of mercy was shut. Mr. Hutchinson was among 
the former ; and, at the solicitations of his friends, had yielded to surrender up his person, in the 
hope of preserving his estates to his family ; but his lady prevailed on him to retract this resolution, 
being desirous rather to sacrifice her last shilling than her husband's liberty, much more the 
endangering his life. And, in making application for his pardon, she disobeyed his orders for 
the first time in her life. But where is the man that glorieth not in this act of disobedience, 
since it sprung from the tender emotions of the heart, triumphing over the dictates of duty 
engraven on the mind ? This amiable soother of her partner's woes secretly wrote a letter, in the 
name of her husband, to the speaker of the House of Commons, pleading indisposition on his part, 
and intreating the house to permit him to remain at his lodgings until they had decided on his case. 
This letter, aided by Sir Allen Apsley's and several other gentlemen's interference, had the desired 
e ff ec t — Mr. Hutchinson was that day voted free from all engagement, on account of the part he 
had taken in the troubled state of the country; and the judgment upon him was, that he should 
never be employed in any capacity under his majesty's government. On his returning a petition 
of thanks to the house, they also voted his estates to be free from any mulct or confiscation : and 
to the honor of the members be it recorded, not a voice was raised among them on the occasion, 
but what sounded Hutchinson's praise. Attempts were made shortly after by some court 
sycophants to get a heavy fine passed upoi' his estates, and a bill actually passed the House of 
Peers for that purpose, but it was rejected by the Commons, though some historians have ignorantly 
stated to the contrary. But this parliament was too honest for Charles, who therefore dissolved it, 
and called another the May following, that he hoped would be more congenial with his views ; and 
to the misfortune of the nation, he was not disappointed in his expectations^ 

The reader will no doubt have concluded, from the relation of the last circumstance respecting 

* The following is copied from the Journals of the House:— June 9th, 1660. " Rssolved, that John Hutchinson. Esq. one of the judges of the 

lata king's majesty, be discharged from being a member of this House." 

f The Rev. Julkis Hutchinson says, this parliament was principally composed of the high church paTty. 



332 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Colonel Hutchinson, that his political troubles were now at an end, and that he was making- his 
way in all haste to Owthorp, there to end his days in domestic felicity and in the pleasure of doing* 
good — No such thing- ! Hutchinson was expected to bow the head, as well as the knee, to the newly 
raised idol, as an acknowledgment for his pardon ; but he had not been accustomed to worship 
mortals, nor would he do it now ; particularly one whose immorality was as detestable, as the 
exercise of his power was unjust. Besides, the colonel was unchangeably honest, as inflexible in his 
principles as the mountain cedar, a steady friend to the people, from whom he thought all power 
ought to emanate, and was still powerful in the veneration paid to his name ; which, in the 
estimation of Charles and his flatterers,, were qualities too dangerous for a subject to possess. — 
And, for these qualities, we have yet to exhibit the hero of our narration as a victim slowly sacrificed 
at the altar of broken faith, violated justice, and guilty fear.* It is true his body was suffered to 
be at large until the 11th of October, 1663, but his mind was attempted to be kept continually on 
the rack ; though in this expectation his enemies were miserably disappointed, for his philosophy 
and religion rendered him proof against their shafts. Nor did they arrest him then without 
violating Magna Charta ; but Charles and his ministers, like some modern statesmen, knew how 
to exert a vigour beyond the law.j- 

The trouble the colonel had about his estates, prior to his arrest, was very great, notwithstanding 
they had been declared free by parliament ; but the resolution he invariably displayed, put his 
enemies often to the blush, and gave him repeated triumphs of the mind. To add to the number 
of insults offered to his feelings, he was required to give evidence against some of his old associates; 
but he never could be induced to swear to any of their writings, except such as belonged to persons 
that were dead. On this account, Charles was heard to say, " I have been prevailed upon to spare 
" a man, who would do the same thing for me, as he did for my father, if opportunity offered ; for 
" he is still unchanged in his principles, and is readier to protect than accuse his old associates." — 
What a compliment was Charles paying to Hutchinson, without designing it ! If any thing good 
now happened to our hero, it was doubly sweet, because wholly unexpected ; for how was he to 
expect any good from the faction that then governed the land ? and if evil came, he was doubly 
fenced; because he was neither alarmed nor deceived. Mrs. Hutchinson was also urged to 
betray the associates of her husband, sometimes by the threat of the ruin of her family, and again 
with the most flattering promises ; but threats and promises were alike ineffectual. Against Sir 
Henry Vane, whose life was sacrificed to the manes of Lord Strafford, and against Mr. St. John, 
and Mr. William Pierpoint, her evidence was particularly solicited ; but she proved, what is often 
disputed, that a woman can keep secrets, even at the risk of the ruin of her family. What a 
valuable woman ! ! What a glorious pair ! ! 

The first insult which the papist, and then government faction, offered to the colonel, after he 
bad defeated the wretches that lusted for his estates, was by a Captain Cooper, who, by authority, 
ordered the plundering of his house at Owthorp of all his arms and armour, amounting to about 



* Charles, in his declaration from Breda, had promised indemnity to all, except those that were excepted against by parliament. 

i Charles once observed to Lord Clarendon, that there were ways, besides the «ommon course of law, to deal with the factious spirits. 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 333 



an hundred -pounds value. Soon after this violence had been committed upon an Englishman's 
dearest privilege, an order arrived from Bennett, secretary of state, (afterwards the justly disgraced 
Earl of Arlington) to seize upon all the pictures, &c. in the colonel's house, which he had bought 
out of the late king's collection, and for which he had paid from £1000 to £1500. About this 
time too a coxcomb of the name of Golding, with a gang of knaves at his heels, was permitted to 
lord it over Owthorp and the neighbouring villages; and in one of his freaks, he beset the colonel's 
house, and threatened destruction to the whole of the family, notwithstanding his amiable lady was 
near her time of childbirth ; while he applied in vain to the constituted authorities for protection — 
his own courage and character, though himself was unarmed, formed his best means of defence. 
Guilt and co~t£ardise are as nearly allied, as are innocence and intrepidity* 

The night of the 11th of October, 1663, presented one of those awfully tempestuous scenes, 
which superstition, in its most innocent shape, supposes the Deity to display for the purpose of 
awakening repentance in the breasts of thoughtless mortals to a sense of future prospects and 
apprehensions. It was Sunday night ; and Colonel Hutchinson, though very unwell, had just 
finished prayer, after having expounded to his family some part of Paul's espistle to the Romans, 
when he was informed of the approach of unwelcome visitants by the trampling of horses and the 
rude voices of men. "With a rudeness, truly characteristic of the cause in which they were 
employed, they ransacked the house of this pious and just man, under pretence of seeking for 
arms; but they found none, except four fowling-pieces which hung up in the kitchen. The party 
were commanded by one Atkinson of Newark, who, probably, had felt the effects of the colonel's 
courage, without knowing how to appreciate the virtues of an honorable enemy; and who having 
failed in his endeavours to ruin him in parliament, now obtained an opportunity of exercising the 
pettv reA-enge of a coward. This fellow, after he had exercised his bayonet authority as long as 
he pleased, in frightening the women and children, produced an order from one Francis Leke, a 
deputy lieutenant of the county, for the seizure of the colonel's person. He pleaded the ill state 
of his health, with the offer of accommodation for the party till morning, and also that this was one 
of those nights in which the voice of heaven, in the raging of the tempest, might be supposed to 
say, at least for the present let the angry passions of the human breast lie still ! 

Oh, no ! these executioners of the rankling vengeance of the tyrant, were alike deaf to the voice 
of humanity and of heaven! They hurried their victim away to Newark, in the midst of the 
pelting fury of " the pitiless storm," and placed him close prisoner in the worst room at the 
Talbot inn, which was kept by a person of the name of Thomp.son, whose inhuman treatment of 
the colonel was not put an end to until the latter had inflicted upon him a severe corporeal 
chastisement. After eight days' imprisonment the colonel was carried before the Marquis of 
Newcastle, who, when Earl, as the reader will recollect, having put his honorable mind to the test, 
now treated him with that distinction which his virtues merited; and, being fully satisfied of the 
purity of his conduct, and having no charge against him, except a letter of suspicion from the 



* !u the winter of 1631, ■wbi-h is about 'lie lime above alluded to, the papisls attempted to burn several towns. &c. ialbis nelTi.fcourhood ; 
particularly they attempted to burn Nottingham, by setting fire to some buildings; but the design was frustrated, after about ,£200 worth of 
property had been destroyed. 

4 P 



334 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



dishonorable Duke of Buckingham, he liberated him on his own honor, which he knew was the 
compleatest safeguard of his person, while he wrote to the privy council for instructions. The 
colonel now retired to Owthorp, but, in a few days, he was again conducted to Newark by a party 
of horse. Hie next day Mr. Leke brought him a letter from the Marquis of Newcastle, in which 
that nobleman expressed, in very lively language, the mortified feelings of an honorable mind, at 
being compelled by circumstances to act contrary to those feelings. This letter contained a copy 
of one from the Duke of Buckingham to the Marquis, commanding- the latter to keep Mr. 
Hutchinson close prisoner, without pen, ink, and paper, and which likewise contained the following- 
remarkable sentence. " That though he (the Duke) could not make it out as yet, he hoped he 
" should bring- Mr. Hutchinson into the plot."* On the 29th of October the colonel was removed 
from Newark ; he arrived in London on the 3d of November, and was sent to the Tower under 
a charge of treasonable practices, by authority of a warrant signed by Secretary Bennett, and 
dated on the 20th of October. If the reader should be unacquainted with the practice of a tyrannic 
court, he will be a little staggered at this warrant being dated about the same time in which 
Buckingham's letter was written to the Marquis of Newcastle. The following examination of the 
colonel by Secretary Bennett, which was the only one of any consequence he underwent, will shew 
the futility of the charge brought against him; and prove that the malice of the reigning faction, 
and his sterling virtue, were the only charges against him ; and that,[as the wretch Clarendon said, 
when speaking of the family of the colonel about the same time, " We must keep their family 
down." 

Examination of Colonel Hutchinson at Whitehall, on the 6th of November: — Q. Where have 
you lived these four or five months ? — A. Constantly at my house in Nottinghamshire. Q. What 
company have resorted to your house? — A. None! not so much as my relations, who scarcely 
ever see me. Q. What company do you frequent? — A. None ! for I never stir out to visit any. 
That is very much, replied Bennett! Q. Do you know Mr. Henry Neville? — A. Very well ! 
Q. When did you last see him ? — A. To the best of my remembrance, never since the king came 
in. Q. When did yon write to him? — A. Never in my life. Q. When did Mr. Neville write to 
you? — A. Never! Q. Have any messages passed between you? — A, None at all! Q. Have 
none moved any proposition to you concerning a republic ? — A. I know none so indiscreet. Q. 
What children have you ? — A. Four sons and four daughters. Q. How old are your sons ? A. 
Two are at men's estate, and two are children. — Q. Have not your sons done something to injure 
you? — A. Never, that I know of ; I am confident they have not. Q. Do you go to church to hear 
divine service and the common prayer? — A. No ! for I stir not out of my own house. Q. Do you 
not hear them read ? — A. To speak ingenuously, no! Q. What then do you do for your soul's 
comfort ? — A. Sir, I hope you will leave that account between God and my soulf . 



* This is what historians call the northern plot ; into which it was hoped by those monsters, Clarendon, Buckingham, and Secretary Bennett, 
that some of their trepanners, (as court spies were then called,) and who were the promoters, under the management of the three knaves just named, 
■would be able to connect the name of Hutchinson by false swearing ; but none were found wicked enough for the task. 

+ On this subject, the Rev. Julius Hutchinson remarks, " What will the reader think of this gentleman, when he is informed, that he was 
himself a concealed papist, and privy to the king's being so too?" 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 335 



Mr. Hutchinson was now ordered back to the Tower ; and while he was continued there, he was 
subjected to every insult, which the petty instruments of tyranny could invent, to harass his placid 
and undaunted mind.* When he was sorely troubled with a corroding flux, he was even denied 
the use of a night convenience , and of the privilege of going- out of his room, in which he was 
compelled to abide night and day ; and all this without any charge ever being exhibited against him, 
or his being able to obtain a copy of the warrant by which he was arrested and detained. Mrs. 
Hutchinson wag of opinion too, to add to the rest of their cruelties, that they attempted to poison 
him, under the shew of kindness made to him a short time previous to his leaving the Tower. 
Timeo danaos et donaferentes: (trust not the fraud ful present of a foe.) The reasons in support 
of Mrs. Hutchinson's opinion are, first, it is certain, that the person who presented the colonel with 
a bottle of wine, had administered poison to Sir Henry Vane, by similar means : secondly, this 
was the only act of kindness ever shewn to the colonel by his vile keepers, while in the Tower ; 
and which was done under pretence of reconciliation : thirdly, an innocent warden, who drank 
part of the wine, died shortly after : and, fourthly, the colonel himself was taken very ill on the 
occasion. At length an order was issued for his removal to Sandown Castle, in Kent, where the 
last scene in the tragedy was to be performed by his murderers, and where he was doomed to the 
care of a set of wretches, if possible, more despicable than those from whose hands he had escaped. 

The Avails of this mansion of misery and death were four yards thick; and yet so crazy withal, as 
not to be proof against a shower of rain. The room in which the colonel was confined was 
unglazed, and had five doors opening into it, the principal one of which opened for the cold sea 
breeze to enter unobstructedly. Here his very clothing became mouldy every day, and impregnated 
with saltpetre. Beds and provisions he had to procure at a great expense for himself and friends, 
and for a fellow prisoner, confined in the same room; or, what would have been more intolerable to 
his susceptible mind — to have seen him perish through want.j- He divided his time, in this sad 
abode, between conversation with his friends, the polishing and arranging of shells into mosaic 
work, which they gathered for that purpsse on the sea shore, and the reading of his Bible ; from 
which sources he drew a sweet consolation which rendered his situation enviable even to the tyrant 
and his minions, who were racking their inventions for new means to torment him, while he smiled 
at, and treated their cruelty with contempt. But, notwithstanding the dignity and serenity of his 
mind, the damp and noxious atmosphere of his inhospitable mansion, soon began to shew its effect 
upon his body, by wasting it away, while his spirit, depending upon the retributive justice of the 
Deity, as well to his persecutors and the nation at large as himself, remained unsubdued — unshaken. 
It was evident, however, that his dissolution was fast approaching; and fortune, in one of her 
capricious whims, contrived that his beloved wife should be denied the sad satisfaction of closing his 

* The wretch that was employed to torment him, was a Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, and was the same monster that was 
employed as tormenter of the celebrated William Penn. But, in both cases, it was nothing more than the tooth of the snarling wolf applied to slufT 
of marble texture— Lhe minds of the patriots were invincible— the tormenter alone received tiie torment. And we have merely mentioned the name of 
the monster, that it may have another chance of living to eternal infamy ; and as a hint to others in like situations, what th»y have to expect, if their 
practice should be of a like description. 

f This person, whose name was Gregory, had been a captain in the parliamentary army ; and had now nothing to subsist on but the colonel'* 
bounty, or wkat a ruined and distressed wife could send him from London. 



336 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



tying eyes, which, to use the words of Campbell's celebrated ballad, had " melted in love, and 
'■' kindled in war !" she having- been called away to Owthorp for the purpose of settling some 
family business, and with the fond hope of procuring- hei\ husband additional comforts. A short 
time previous to his being- confined to his bed, Sir Allen Apsley, his lady's brother, who was high 
in the interest of the court, had procured an order for him to have the privilege of walking- on the 
sea shore with a guard ; but this rather hastened than retarded his approaching end; for, having 
been accustomed to much exercise, his constitution had become much impaired by his close and 
cruel confinement, (to say nothing of the noxiousness of the prison) so that he could not support 
the cold unbroken breezes which blew upon the coast of Kent. On the 3d of September, he was 
seized with pain and shivering- in his bones, like an ague fit, which caused him to go to bed. On 
t'ne second day after he kept his bed, and the succeeding- night was the last in which he slept ; for 
he never slept more till death closed his eyes, which was on the 11th of the said September. 

Shortly after his attack on the 36, his brother, Mr. George Hutchinson, who had attended him 
during his confinement,. sent for a medical man from Deal ; but he, distrusting his judgment, 
desired the aid of Dr. Jachin from Canterbury, which was accordingly obtained ; but he, though 
he complied with the request, said his journey would be of no use, when he was informed in what 
room the colonel had been kept ; " for," said he, " that chamber has killed him ;" which testimony 
he gave upon oath when the coroner's inquest sat over the body. What mercy, in sending- this 
great and good man to Sandown! This was one of Charles's " ways besides the law, of dealing with 
'■*. the factious spirits !" A remarkable instance of the colonel's strength of mind in contending 
even with death itself, was manifested on this occasion. After being told that he was dying, as his 
pulse was nearly gpne, and his head deadly cold, he rose up in bed and exclaimed, " Doctor, I 
ec would fain know your reason why you fancy I am dying; for I feel nothing in myself, my head 
" is well, my heart is well, and I have no pain or sickness any where V The doctor was still more 
amazed to find him cheerful when his pulse was entirely gone, and advised the calling in additional 
aid ; but as they were about writing for Dr. Ridgely, the colonel exclaimed, " 'Tis as I would have 
" it! 'tis as I would have it !" and immediately expired without a groan. By his own particular 
desire his body was brought to his own village of Owthorp, and was there interred in the church, 
nearly adjoining his mansion. His widow raised a mural monument to his memory, on which is 
engraven the following inscription, supposed to be of her writing : — 

Quosque Domine ! 

In a vault under this wall lieth the body of 

John Hutchinson, 

oe owihorp, in the county of nottingham, esq. 

eldest sonne and heire of slr thomas hutchinson by his first 

wife, the Lady Margaret, daughter of Sir John Birqn, 

of Newsted, in the sayed county. 

This monument doth not commemorate 
Vaine ayrie glories, titles, birth, and state; 
But sacred is to free, illustrious grace, 
Conducting happily a mortal's race;- 



COLONEL HUTCHINSON. 



337 



To end in triumph over death and hell, 

When, like the prophet's cloake, the fraile flesh fell 

Forsaken as a dull impediment, 

Whilst love's swift fiery chariot climb'd th' ascent 

Nor are the reliques lost, but only torn, 
To be new made, and in more lustre worn. 
Full of this ioy he mounted, he lay downe, 
Threw off his ashes, and took up his crowne. 

Those who lost all their splendor in his grave, 
Ev'n there yet no inglorious peiiod have. 

He married Lucy, the daughter of Sir Allen 

Apsley, Lieutenant of the Tower of London, 

by his third wife, the Lady Lucy, daughter 

of Sir John St. John, of Lidiard Tregos, in 

the county of Wilts, who dying at Ow- 

thorpe, October 11, 1659, lieth buried in the 

same vault. 
He left surviving by the sayd Lucy 4 sons; 

Thomas, who married Jane, the daughter of 

Sir Alexander Radcliffc, buried in the same 

vault ; and Edward, Lucius, and John : and 

4 daughters ; Barbara, Lucy, Margaret, and 

Adeliza ; which last lies buried in the same 

vault. 
He died at Sandowne castle, in Kent, after 

11 months harsh and strict imprisonment, 

—without crime or accusation,— upon the 

11th day of Sept. 1664, in the 49th yeare of 

his age, full of ioy, in assured hope of a 

glorious resurrection. 

To sum up the character of this great and good man : He sat in judgment over his prince, 
because he thought the violated rights of his country demanded publicjustice; because he thought the 
man, that had placed himself without the pale of the law, ought to be made to feel the consequence 
of his own daring, as a warning to others ; and beeause he thought such prince ought to answer 
to the people for the numerous crimes committed in bis name. But, had the king acknowledged 
the sovereignty of the people, by putting himself on his trial, or have cast himself upon the nation's 
clemency, Hutchinson would have been the first to have seen justice duly administered — to have 
extended the hand of mercy ; or, on honorable conditions, to have restored the crown to the royal 
captive. Fate, however, ordered it otherwise, perhaps for the wisest of purposes. — He, with much 
reluctance, signed the fatal instrument; and, during the course of his political life, tins was the 
only act, which he thought justifiable, that he hesitated to perform. He was a friend to Cromwell,, 
so long as Cromwell was a friend to the liberties of the people, after which he became his foe. — 
But, notwithstanding this, he forewarned Cromwell of a plot which was laid to take away his life ; 
because private vengeance was so foreign to his nature, that he would not purchase even the 

4 Q 



338 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



liberties of his country at the expense of public justice. When he could no longer serve his 
country, and, at the same time, preserve his honor unsullied, he retired, like Cincinnatus, with his 
family, and lived in the grandeur of rustic simplicity, and on the inexhaustable stock of his own 
virtues. These virtues, which have given immortality to his name, and which ought to act as a 
beacon to patriots in every age, at length became the source of his ruin, as they had been, and 
continue to be that of his glory, because, like so many upbraiding spectres, they haunted the wicked 
pursuits and obstructed the disgusting pleasures of the reigning debauchee, who therefore determined 
to destroy the object of his daily and nightly dread ; vainly thinking to destroy a Hutchinson by 
the entombment of his mortal frame. The sycophantie instruments of the cruel tyrant seized their 
victim in his hallowed abode, while pouring forth in prayer the fervency of his soul, amidst a 
kneeling and adoring family, and dragged him to a place where infamy and death were set as his 
attendants. The latter, while he heaved a manly sigh over the misfortunes of his country, and 
gloried in the actions of a well spent life, relieved from the troubles occasioned by the former. — 
His obsequies were performed by his family; (I need not say with affection) while his tenantry, to 
whom he had been a father, sung a requiem over his tomb, and moistened the soil with their tears. 

GILBERT MILLIJVGTOJY. 

At the suppression of monasteries, Felly-priory, in the vicinity of Annesley, with the messuages, 
houses, orchards, gardens, &c. thereunto belonging, besides forty and a half acres of arable land, 
twenty of meadow, and three hundred and fifty-six of pasture, with the appurtenances in Felly and 
Annesley, Felly mill, &c. were granted by Henry the Eighth, to William Bolles and Lucy his wife, 
at the annual rent of £17 3s. And James the First, in the 7th of his reign, granted the reversion 
of this property to Anthony Millington and his heirs, which property descended to Gilbert 
Millington, the subject of this memoir, who, from his acting a conspicuous part in the interest of 
Nottingham during the time of Charles the First, merits notice here. This gentleman bought an 
estate at Brinsley, in this neighbourhood, of Gervase Brendesley in the early part of the seventeenth 
century, which estate had been in the last named family from the time of William the First. Mr. 
Millington was chosen to represent Nottingham in parliament in the years 1640, and 1646, and 
the most conspicuous part he performed in that capacity, was that of sitting as one of the judges at 
the trial, and signing the death warrant of Charles the First. He was one of those mistaken and 
unfortunate gentlemen that surrendered to the mercy of Charles the Second, after having been 
excepted from capital punishment by proclamation; and who, to use Mrs. Hutchinson's words, 
" were now given up to trial, both for their lives and estates, and put into close prison, where they 
" were miserably kept, brought shortly after to trial, condemned, all their estates confiscated and 
' : taken away, themselves kept in miserable bondage under that inhuman bloody jailor the 
" lieutenant of the Tower, who stifled some of them to death for want of air; and when they had 
" not one penny, but what was given them to feed themselves and their families, enacted 
"'abominable rates for bare unfinished prisons; of some forty pounds for one miserable chamber, 
" of others double, besides undue and unjust fees, which their poor wives were forced to beg and 
" engage their jointures and make miserable shifts for: and yet this rogue had all this while three 



GILBERT MILLINGTON— ROBERT THOROTON. 339 



" pounds a week paid out of the Exchequer for every one of them. At last, when this would not 
" kill them fast enough, and when some alms were privately stolen into them, they were sent away 
* to remote and dismal islands, where relief could not reach them, nor any of their relations take 
" care of them !" " And these," continues she, '( are the tender mercies of the wicked ! Among 
" which I cannot forget one passage that I saw. Monk and his wife, before they (the prisoners) 
" were moved to the Tower, while they were yet prisoners at Lamberth-house, came one evening 
" to the garden, and caused them to be brought down, only to stare at them. Which was such a 
" barbarism for that man, who had betrayed so many poor men to death and misery, that never 
" hurt him, but had honored him, and trusted their lives and interests with him, to glut his bloody 
" eyes with beholding them in their bondage, as no story can parallel the inhumanity of."* 

Whether Mr. Millington was one of the unfortunate objects of Monk's insulting curiosity we 
are not told : bet certain it is, that, after his pardon had been granted, he was one of '*the victims 
sacrificed to the tyrant's fury.f 

ROBERT THOROTON, M.I). 

This gentleman was born in 1622, and was a native of this county, his family having resided 
during several centuries at the villages of Thoroton, Screveton, and Car-Colston. After having 
passed through the usual course of education, and had taken up his degrees at one of the 
Universities, he settled and practised in his native county, where, at Car-Colston, he erected a 
family residence. He married Anne, daughter of Gilbert Boun, serjeant-at-law, of Hockerton, 
near Southwell, by whom he had two daughters, Anne, and Elizabeth ; the former was married to 
Philip Sherard, second son of the second Earl of Harborough. Elizabeth was married to John 
Turner of Swanwick, Esq. Derbyshire; and, in 1740, when in the 86th year of her age, she 
erected a school in the said village, for the instruction of twenty poor children, and endowed it 
with five hundred pounds. 

The Doctor was a great stickler for the arbitrary proceedings of Charles the First ; and was 
therefore constituted commissioner for the royal aids and subsidies, and a magistrate for the 
county of Nottingham. His father-in-law, serjeant Boun, had been at great expense and labour 
in collecting materials for a history of Nottinghamshire; but had not properly arranged them for 
the press. These fell into the hands of the Doctor, and he very soon set about completing them 
for the public. For this purpose he visited almost every town and village in the county, searching 
every parish register and family record within his reach. When he had given the utmost 
perfection in his power to this arduous undertaking, he dedicated his work to Sir William Dugdale, 
and sent it from the press in 1677. But though he lived to see his labours meet a favorable 



* This double traitor, this inhuman monster, who could thus feast his savage eyes upon, and indulge the delicacy of his wife with the sight of the 
sufferings of those men, with whom he had been proud to act, and by whose ill-placed favor he had been raised to eminence in command, sought to 
bury his odious name and traitorous deeds iu the title of Earl ef Albermarle. But he was mistaken; for the name of Monk, and those of 
monster and traitor will be linked together to the end of time. 

t Mr. Millington left a son Edward, whose son, Gilbert, died in 1T03, leaving, Aletheia, an only daughter, who married Charles Savile of Metbley, 
Yorkshire, Esq. from whom are descended the present noble family of Mexborough. 



340 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



reception from the public, he did not long enjoy the pleasures thereof; for, the register of 
Car-Colston informs us, that he was buried on the 23d of November, 1678. His History contains 
the best list of genealogies, of this, or perhaps of any other county ever written ; and, of course 
will ever be held in high estimation by antiquaries, as a work of curiosity, and by the attornies of 
the county and its vicinity as an article of utility. 

His estate at Car-Colston went, by the marriage of his elder daughter, into the family of Sherards, 

CHARLES DEERIJYG, M. B. 

Of the family or country of this gentleman we know nothing, except as tradition informs us, 
that he was a native of Germany ; and his education proves him to have been the offspring of or 
fostered by highly respectable connections. On this subject it would be enough to say, that he 
was often heard to exclaim, with apparent feelings of poignancy, " Every petty school-master can 
maintain himself in comfort, which I am unable to do, though master of nine languages." 

He took up his degrees as Doctor of Medicine, at Leyden, in Holland, the seal and diploma of 
which were affixed by Mr. Ayscough, printer, to a copy of his catalogue of plants groiving 
about Nottingham. Soon after his arrival in London he was appointed secretary to the British 
embassy to the court of Russia. On his return from Russia he married, in London, as we are 
informed, and shortly afterwards came and settled in Nottingham as a regular practitioner, where 
he met with due encouragement. But his domestic felicity was of short duration, as his wife died 
soon after ; and he again became a stranger in a foreign land, without a family companion to 
partake of his enjoyments, or, what is of ten times more consequence, to share and ease the 
troubles of his mind. — A woman partaking largely of the latter virtue is of more value to a man 
possessing refinement of soul, than are the mines of Potosi or Golconda — without it she is little 
better than a pest ! Whether the loss of his wife wrought deeply upon his mind, or from 
whatsoever cause the effect might arise, (but, from a feeling of the most unaffected sympathy, I am 
willing to attribute the cause to the loss of his partner,) certain it is that his temper became so 
remarkably sour, as to cause alienation of almost every spark of attachment towards him ; and the 
capriciousness of his palate made him very frequently find fault with the fare of the table at which 
he boarded, or to which he was casually invited. Or, at least, these are the reasons which tradition 
has assigned for the desertion of Deering by many of those that had previously espoused him 
as a friend. 

r 

Thus deserted, and reduced to almost the last stage of poverty, he applied to John Plumptre, 
Esq. of Plumptre-house, for assistance to enable him to write a History of Nottingham ; and 
in that gentleman he found both a friend and a patron, for he not only countenanced the 
undertaking, but furnished the principal materials for the compilation of his Antiquities. But as 
the completion of this work required much time and industry, and a minuter inquiry and closer 
attention than suited the turn of Deering's mind, he died of poverty and a broken heart before it 
was finished, on the 25th of February, 1749, in a chamber over a shop on the south side of St. 
Peter's-square, lately occupied by Mr. Smith, hatter and hairdresser. This will account for the 
unfinished and interpolated state in which many of his articles appear; and for the work itself not 



CHARLES PEERING. 341 



possessing the advantage of an index. The interpolations in pages 84 and 85 of the Antiquities 
have brought the laugh upon Deering from many a man, whose understanding soared above the 
ridiculous belief in ghosts and hobgoblins ; but from the obloquy cast upon our author, on this 
account, I am happy in having it in my power to rescue his character. The tales alluded to relate, 
that Langford Collin, Esq. who, resided at York in 1727, heard the ghost of his cousin, Thomas 
Smith, Esq. of Nottingham, strike his door as " with a great sledge-hammer" three times, (a- 
ghost's number) just at the moment the said Mr. Smith expired in London. And, on another 
occasion, Mr. Collin heard his brother's ghost hard at work making a coffin for its own body, just 
twelve hours before such brother drew his expiring breath. Now I have a note before me in the 
hand writing of Mr. Ayscough, printer of Deering's posthumous Antiquities, of which we are now 
speaking, which note relates to the ridiculous subject in question, and says, " Langford Collin, Esq. 
" insisted I shonld print this account, or he would resent it : because, he said, it was absolutely 
" true, and ought to be known." Thus has the character of a poor and friendless author been 
sported with nearly seventy years, because it was dishonestly made a shield of to cover the childish 
follies and interpolations of men, that had not sufficient generosity to relieve him when living, or to 
do him justice when dead. 

Our author was so poor when he died, that his effects would not furnish the means for his 
interment, which induced the corporation, as a public body, to offer their services to pay this last 
tribute to departed talents; but Mr. Ayscough, just named, and Mr. Thomas Willington, druggist, 
to whom Deering was a little indebted, administered to his effects, seized upon his manuscript, and 
buried him in St. Peter's-church-yard; but their generosity could not afford a tombstone or slab to 
point out the particular spot of his interment. These two gentlemen published his Antiquities of 
Nottingham in 1751, being at the expense of all the plates, except the view of Plumptre-house, 
which was given by the owner of that mansion. 

The following circumstance will enable the reader to form a pretty correct notion of the 
disposition of Deering's mind, even under the rod of affliction : — A lady of. the name of Turner* 
passing through the town, and hearing of the doctor's indisposition and his poverty also, she paid 
him a visit at his lodgings, and, after conversing with him some time, left him half-a-guinca by the 
mistress of the house; and, when the latter presented it, and told him whence it came, he exclaimed, 
" If you had stabbed me to the, heart, I should have thanked you ; but this I cannot bear !" 
We will conclude these few remarks with the relation of two circumstances which occurred while 
our author was in. good healtlh .>, A short time before his last illness, a few friends presented him with 
an electrical machine, under a hope of thereby furnishing him with the means of subsistance. — 
And with the same laudable view a commission was obtained for him in a foot regiment, that was 
raised in and about Nottingham to oppose the rebels in 1745 ; but on these, and several other 
occasions he expressed himself to this effect: — All my helps injure me, as they are attended 
with more cost than profit. At the close of the rebellion he wrote an account in Latin of the 
achievements of the Duke of Kingston's light horse, which is placed over the entrance into the 



• It is £air to presume, that this was Mrs. Turner of Swanwick, daughter to Dr. Thoroton. 

4 R 



342 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



grand jury room in our County-hall, His publications, besides his Antiquities of Nottingham, 
which he wrote while in this town, were, An Account of an Impartial Method of treating the 
Small-pox ; and A Catalogue of Plants growing about Nottingham ; the former was printed in 
1737, and the latter in 1738. 

Prom feelings of respect to the talents of our author ; but more particularly to the misfortunes 
which long attended his progress in life, and, in the end, bore him to the grave, I am desirous of 
attributing the errors in his Antiquities to the clouds which surrounded him ; and to the base 
interpolations and perhaps erasures after his death. The latter misfortune I have the prospect of 
escaping ; but, as to the former, 1 shall leave it to the man, that may think it worth his while, if 
any one should do so, who writes a few anecdotes of my life. 

JOHJY THROSBY 

Was a native of Leicester, of which place, Nicholas Throsby, his father, was mayor in 1759. — 
John, the subject of these few observations, was born about the year 1737, and died in 1803. He 
was many years parish clerk of St. Martin's, Leicester ; and the only reason for noticing him 
here, is his re-publishing Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire, and a volume of extracts from 
Deering's Antiquities of Nottingham, with continuations of his own : the observations made 
upon his writings in the course of this history, in his capacity of a continuator of Deering, shall 
form my only commentary thereon — the subject deserves no more ! 

In early life Mr. Throsby enjoyed a considerable share of what the common voice of mankind 
pronounces happiness; but, having a numerous offspring to provide for, and his means being 
inadequate to meet the end, according to his wishes, he had recourse to his pen, hoping thereby to 
find the necessary means of supply. This plan, however, instead of relieving him from his 
embarrassments, only added to their number and magnitude ; for the sale of his publications, which, 
principally, were very expensive to him, was extremely confined. The reason is very plain ; for 
nature, in the formation of his intellectual faculties, placed a barrier against his advancement in 
literary fame. 

As a copyist, to the best of my knowledge, he is correct, as he would sooner preserve an error 
in the original, than seek to correct it. As an original writer, he is replete with errors ; his ideas 
are vague; and his language either offensive or servile, and generally inelegant. In his writings, 
as a christian, he is uncharitable ; and, as a politician, he was such a bigot to the high church 
party, that even the tory corporation of Leicester laughed him to scorn. When a man over acts 
an improper part, his conduct alike displays a want of knowledge, and a dereliction of principle. — 
His works are, independent of his re-publication of Thoroton and Deering, first, History of 
Leicestershire, six volumes, duodecimo. Secondly, History of Leicester, one volume, quarto; and 
thirdly, Select Views of Leicestershire, with descriptions and historical relations, two volumes, 
quarto. 

THE REV. ANDREW KIP PIS, D. B. 

This highly respectable and learned divine was born at Nottingham, on the 28'. h of March, 
1725. Both by the father's and mother's side he was descended from ejected ministers. His 



THE REV. ANDREW KIPPIS. 343 



father, Robert Kippis, was one of those, that, in the infant state of the framework-knitting business, 
obtained a competency by selling the stockings which he manufactured, which avocation has long 
been distinguished by the appellation of hosier. This gentleman died when his son was only five 
years of age, which caused the latter to be placed under the care of his grandfather, Andrew 
Kippis, of Sleaford, in Lincolnshire, who died 1748, at the advanced age of 84. At an early age 
considerable pains were taken to instil the principles of Calvinism into the expanding mind of 
young Kippis ; but the very means employed to ensure success had a contrary effect, as he himself 
observes, in the fourth volume of the Biographia Britannia, when speaking of Elisha Cole's treatise 
on the sovereignty of God. These are his words: — "The author stated the objections to his 

* opinions concerning absolute election, reprobation, and other points, and endeavoured to remove 
" them ; but to me his objections appeared stronger than his answers : so that I owe to Cole on 

* God's Sovereignty my first renunciation of Calvinism/' 

Young Kippis received the rudiments of his education at Sleaford, and made such a rapid 
progress in his studies, as to excite the particular attention of the learned Mr. Merrivale, minister 
of a dissenting congregation at that place ; and it was chiefly owing to this gentleman, that his 
attention was directed to those studies which are necessary qualifications in a minister of the gospel ; 
but the task of giving completion to these studies was reserved for the great Dr. Doddridge to 
perform. In 1741, the rising student was placed under the care of that eminent divine, at the 
academy for the education of Protestant dissenting ministers at Northampton. At the close of 
Doddridge's life, in the Biographia Britannica, Dr. Kippis observes, " I esteem it no small felicity of 
" my life, that I have been preserved to give this testimony of duty, gratitude, and affection, to 
° the memory of my benefactor, my tutor, my friend, and my father.'' 

When Mr. Kippis had been five years at Northampton, he received invitations to undertake the 
pastoral duties of two dissenting congregations, one at Dorchester, and the other at Boston, in 
Lincolnshire : he preferred the latter, and entered upon his important functions in September, 
1746, being then in his 22d year ; a proof of the fame of his education, and of his early piety. 
In four years afterwards he was preferred to the head of a congregation, at Dorking in Surry ; 
and in 1753, on the death of Dr. Obadiah Hughes, he was chosen pastor of the congregation in 
Prince's-street, Westminster, in his stead ; in which situation he continued till the day of his death. 
In the last named year he married Miss Elizabeth Bott, daughter of a respectable inhabitant of 
Boston, who survived him a short time. 

The extensive learning, profound genius, and highly polished manners of Mr. Kippis, soon 
procured him a large circle of literary connections in the metropolis ; and, in proportion as the 
trumpet of his fame was heard to sound, his congregation increased, by whom he was equally 
admired and beloved. His first publication appears to have been a sermon on the advantages of 
religious knowledge, which he preached, for the benefit of the school, in St. Thomas's meeting- 
house, Gravel-lane, Southwark, in 1756. The following year he published a discourse, containing 
a concise account of the doctrine of the New Testament, concerning the Lord's =upper, which 
went through several editions. Soon after the commencement of the Monthly Review, he became 
a writer for that literary publication, and continued to enrich its columns many years. In 1761, a 



344 niSTORY of Nottingham. 



periodical publication was commenced, entitled, " The Literary, or Moral and Critical Magazine/' 
in the composition of which Mr. Kippis took a considerable share. This work, however, did not 
meet a sufficiency of public patronage to justify its continuance ; it was therefore given up in 
about eighteen months from its commencement; and Mr. Kippis re-published his labours therein, 
with additions, in the New Annual Register. 

In 1762, Mr. Kippis was chosen to succeed Dr. Benson as trustee to Dr. Daniel Williams's 
library in Red Cross-street, London : the latter gentleman died in 1716, after having founded this 
library, and willed a considerable portion of his estate to various charitable purposes, under the 
direction of trustees. The celebrated Dr. Rees, when speaking of this appointment of Mr. Kippis,, 
observes, " This appointment afforded him an additional opportunity of being eminently and 
" extensively useful in a variety of respects. His connections with the general body of Protestant 
" dissenting ministers belonging to the cities of London and Westminster, and with many charitable 
'• institutions, which the liberality of dissenters has established, gave him frequent occasions to 
" exercise his talents for the honor and interest of the cause to which, both by his sentiments and 
" profession, he was zealously attached.* 

On the death of Dr. Jennings, in 1763, Mr. Kippis was elected classical and philological tutor to 
the academical institution for the educating of dissenting ministers in London, supported by the funds 
of William Coward, Esq. In 1766, he published an introductory discourse, which he delivered at 
the ordination of the Rev. Samuel Witton ; and the year following the University of Edinburgh 
conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. In 1769, he published a sermon on the 
character of Jesus Christ, in his capacity of a public speaker, which he preached at Bridport, in 
Dorsetshire, at the ordination of Mr. George Waters and Mr. William Youat. The same year he 
published the funeral sermon of Mr. Timothy Laugher, minister of the dissenting congregation at 
Hackney, who was succeeded by Dr. Price. Mr. Laugher had been the intimate friend of Dr. 
Kippis, who expresses himself thus on that occasion, " I have been connected with him, in close 
" and endearing friendship, between twenty and thirty years ; I have shared every secret of his 
" heart, and been acquainted with almost every transaction of his life ; I have seen him in the 
" unguarded moments of youth, and in the various situations of riper age ; and, with this knowledge 
" of him, I can assert, that he hath always appeared to me to be animated by a genuine, fervent, 
" and uncorrupted principle of piety, integrity, honor, and benevolence." 

In 1773, Dr. Kippis published " A Vindication of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers, with 
" regard to their late application to parliament." This application was intended to remove the 
obligations dissenting ministers were under; for as the law then stood, they were enjoined to 
subscribe to the greater part of the articles of the established church. In this pamphlet, the Dr. 
says, " Religion, in every form of it which is consistent with the safety of the state, has an unlimited 
u title to indulgence. J do not, therefore, think that liberty of conscience ought to be confined 
" to Christianity. I am of opinion, that the magistrate hath no right to interpose in religious 
" matters, so as to lay any restraint upon, or to prescribe any test to, those who behave as 



• See "Funeral Sermon, page ZX. 



THE REV. ANDREW KIPPIS. 345 



" peaceable subjects." And towards the close of the pamphlet he says, " When biography shall 
" relate, in future ages, the learned labours, and the eminent virtues of some of the present bench 
" of bishops, she will at the same time record it with surprise and shame, as a strange inconsistency 
'• with their great abilities, and an astonishing blot in their characters, that they were capable of 
<c pleading for the continuance of laws which are repugnant to every dictate of wisdom, every 
" precept of the gospel, and every sentiment of humanity." 

The celebrated Dean Tucker took up the pen against him on this subject; and at the same time 
that he controverted his positions, he admitted him to be an able advocate, an honest man, and a 
candid and impartial researcher after truth. And it may here be added, to the honor of Dr. 
Kippis, and the town which gave him birth, that he laboured not in vain; for, a few years 
afterwards, prejudice gave way to reason, and an act was passed for the relief of dissenting 
ministers in the matter of subscription. 

In 1777, the Doctor undertook to edit a new edition of the Biographia Britannica, which work 
engaged much of his time and attention, and which he was extremely solicitous of rendering truly 
valuable. His liberal ideas on this subject are found in the preface to the first volume, where he 
says, " We mean to rise above narrow prejudices, and to record with fidelity and freedom, the 
" virtues and vices, the excellencies and defects, of men of every profession and party. A work of 
" this nature would be deprived of much of its utility, if it were not carried on with philosophical 
" liberality of mind. But we apprehend, that a philosophical liberality of mind, whilst we do full 
" iustice to the merits of those from whom we differ, either in religious or political opinions, doth 
<c not imply in it our having no sentiments of our own. We scruple not to declare our attachment 
* f to the great interests of mankind ; and our enmity to bigotry, superstition, and tyranny, whether 
a found in Papists, Protestants, Whigs, or Tories, Churchmen, or Dissenters." This conduct is 
the certain result, and is truly worthy of a great mind ! 

AVhen the Doctor had. been engaged some time in this great work, he found the task too heavy 
for his exertions ; and Dr. Towers was therefore selected as his fellow labourer. All the new 
articles and the additions to old ones, written by Dr. Kippis, were subscribed by the letter K. and 
those from the pen of Dr. Towers had the letter T. affixed to them. In 1783, our illustrious 
divine published, " Considerations on the Provisional Treaty with America, and the Preliminary 
" Articles of Peace with Prance and Spain." And, in the same year also " Six Discourses," 
delivered by Sir John Pringle, Bart, to the Royal Society, on account of six annual assignments of 
Sir Godfrey Copley's Medal ; to which was prefixed the life of the author. The Doctor had lived 
on very friendly terms with Sir John Pringle, who frequently added to the number of hi* 
congregation. On the 26th of April, 1786, he preached a sermon for the encouragement of a new 
academical institution for the education of Protestant dissenting ministers. From an anxious 
solicitude to give stability and celebrity to this institution, the Doctor became its principal preceptor; 
but, for reasons unknown to the writer hereof, he declined this office ; and, shortly afterwards, the 
institution died away. As a tutor. Dr. Rees speaks of him thus : — " His lectures, and his general 
" conduct, conciliated the esteem, and promoted the improvement of his pupils. They all honored 
" and loved him : for he had a happy talent of attaching their attention and respect," In 1788, he 

4 S 



346 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



published the life of our celebrated and unfortunate circumnavigator, Captain James Cook ; and 
the same year also the life of Dr. Nathaniel Lardner, though the latter was done with the express 
disapprobation of Mr. David Jennings, grand-nephew to Dr. Lardner, and Dr. Dickens, 
prebendary of Durham, who had married a niece of Dr. Lardner's. The rodomontade of these 
two gentlemen had no other effect upon our author, than to induce him to expose their nonsense to 
the world, and to give additional celebrity to the publication. In 1791, he published a volume of 
sermons; and, the same year, a funeral oration, delivered at the interment of the justly celebrated 
Dr. Price. He likewise made many valuable additions to the lectures of Dr. Doddridge on ethics 
and pneumatology, or the doctrine of spiritual existence. 

Dr. Kippis was equally a friend to civil and religious liberty, a fact which manifests itself in his 
writings, and which receives great illustration from his having been a member of the Society for 
Constitutional Information — of the Society of the Friends of the People ; and of the Revolution 
Society; before the latter of which he preached a sermon on the anniversary of that memorable 
event in 1788, which was afterwards published. The Doctor wrote the preface to Edwin and 
Eltruda, a legendary tale by Miss Helen Maria Williams, whose character, for sentimental literature, 
stood so very high, until she blasted it by her subsequent apostacy in supporting arbitrary power; 
when the full tide of fortune set in against the rights of mankind, in the advocating of which she 
had acquired universal fame.* This, since versatile lady, was at Paris when Dr. Kippis breathed 
his last, in the full bloom of literary glory, a misfortune which happened rather unexpectedly, on 
the 8th of October, 1795, and to whose memory she wrote an elegant poem, from which are 
copied the following lines : — 

" For him, his country twines her civic palm, 

" And learning's tears his honored name embalm ; 

" His were the lavish stores, her force sublime, 

" Thro' every passiug age has Sfiatch'd from time; 

" His the historian's wreath, the critic's art, 

" A rigid judgment, but a feeling heart; 

" His the warm purpose for the general weal, 

" The christian's meekness, and the christian's zeal; 

" And his the moral worth, to which is givea 

" Earth's purest homage, and the meed of heaven. " + 

GILBERT WAKEFIELD, B.A. 

Had not ample justice been done to the memory of this giant in classical literature, so as to place 
the relation thereof within the reach of the generality of readers, the author would have felt himself 
in duty bound to have overstept the limits, naturally prescribed in local history to biographical 
labours; the gentleman we are speaking of being one of those transcending luminaries, that the 
Almighty, in the plenitude of his wisdom, sometimes favors the world with for a season, for the 
purpose of unfolding to mankind the obtruse operations of nature ; and to instruct them by 

• It is now publicly stated, that this woman was in the pay of the British ministry as a spy upon the French government, duriDg the last six or 
eight years of Napoleon's imperial authority. This accounts for her apostacy ! 
t In sketching the life of Dr. Kippis, the author has received much aid from Phillip's Necrology. 



GILBERT WAKEFIELD. 347 



example how to suffer honorably in the cause of violated virtue, honor, liberty, and truth. But, 
as the subject has been so ably handled by Mr. Wakefield himself, and by the editors of the second 
edition of his life, I shall content myself with merely sketching an outline of the life of this great 
and extraordinary man. 

Mr. Wakefield was born on the 22d of February, 1756, in the parsonage-house of St. Nicholas's, 
Nottingham, of which parish his father was rector ; and he died, while his faculties were still in 
their bloom, at Hackney, the 9th of September, 1801. His father, by the mother's side, was 
connected in blood with the celebrated family of Russels, and the great lawyer, Sir Edward Coke. 
His mother was of an ancient Nottingham family, and her grandfather, Mr. William Barke, was 
an eminent tanner in Narrow-marsh, and was mayor of this town in 1704, and 1712. 

Our hero was sent very early to school to an old lady in this town ; and, when little more than 
three years old, he gave astonishing proofs of a strong and superior mind. He was next placed 
under the care of the Rev. Samuel Beardmore, at the Fiee-School, Stoney-street, whence, at the 
age of nine, he was removed to a school at Wilford, kept by the Rev. Isaac Pickthall. In 1767, 
his father obtained the vicarage of Kingston-upon-Thames, which parish, in two years after, 
comprehending its dependent chapels of Richmond, Moulsey, Thames Ditton, Petersham, and 
Kew, was divided by act of parliament into two vicarages and two perpetual curacies.* At 
Richmond, our young hero was placed under the tuition of his father's curate, whom, in his 
writings, he stigmatizes as a "pedagogical Jehu," and concludes, that, under these successive 
teachers, he literally learnt nothing ; but this neglect, or want of ability, in his tutors, was amply 
compensated by the exemplary care of an excellent mother, the strength of his own mind, and 
the intuitiveness of his talents. At the age of thirteen, we find him under the tuition of the Rev. 
Richard Wooddeson,at Kingston, who was preceptor to many other literary characters, particularly 
Mr. Lovybond, a writer for the World, Mr. Stevens the editor of Shakespeare, Mr. Keate, author 
of Sketches of Nature, Poems, &c. Mr. Gibbon, the historian, Mr. Harley, the poet, &c. We 
next find Mr. Wakefield at Cambridge, where, in 1772, he was entered of Jesus College ; and, in 
1776, he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, soon after which he was elected a fellow of the said 
College. The same year he published, at the University press a collection of Latin Poems, partly 
originals and partly translations, with critical notes on Horace by way of appendix. In 1778, he 
was ordained deacon by Dr. HinchlirFe, bishop of Peterborough ; but was afterwards so dissatisfied 
with the nature of church subscription, that he stigmatized his acceptance of the last named 
dignity as the most disingenuous act of his life. He soon after left the University,' and entered 
upon the curacy of Stockport, in Cheshire, under the Rev. John Watson, whose brother's daughter 
he afterwards married ; but he did not long remain here ; as a few months subsequently, we find 
him at Richmond decidedly averse to the renewal of subscription, and embarrassed at the idea of 
ecclesiastical functions. It is worthy of remark, that the great Milton left the same University 
under similar embarrassments, and adopted the same resolution ; and who said on the occasion, 
"Whoever becomes a clergyman, must subscribe slave" 

* See Capper. 



348 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Disappointment in other pursuits induced Mr. Wakefield to accept of the curacy of St. Peter's, 
Liverpool; and, in March, 1779, he vacated his fellowship by marriage; about which time he 
shifted to the curacy of St. Paul's, in the same place, under an idea of establishing a day school ; 
but was diverted from that object by an offer of the tutorship of the classical department at 
Warrington academy, Lancashire, whither he removed in August following. In addition to the 
labours attendant on the academy, he set about perfecting himself in the Hebrew, the Syriac, the 
Chaldee, the Samaritan, the Syro-Chaldaic, the Ethiopic, the Arabic, the Persic, and Coptic 
languages ; being already, as the reader may suppose, in possession of the Greek and Latin, and 
modern European tongues. Feeling himself now fully at liberty from clerical obligations, or 
restraints, he commenced his career in theological controversy, during the course of which, in the 
opinion of many of his friends, he displayed an improvident degree of warmth, which sometimes 
gave his opponents a shew of triumph, that his mighty genius would never have permitted, had it 
been directed by a more moderate temperature of the passions. He continued, after this time, to 
publish the various productions of his pen, the most important of which are, A New Translation 
of the First Epistle of St. Paul to the -Thessalonians, and, A New Translation of St. Matthew's 
Gospel, with notes. These he published while at Warrington ; but, on the dissolution of that 
academy in 1783, he removed to Bramcote, four miles from Nottingham; at all of which places 
his object was to support his family by the instruction of pupils. V\ bile thus employed he published 
An Inquiry into the opinions of the Christian Writers of the three first centuries, concerning 
the person of Jesus Christ, with an intention of a continuance of the same subject ; but, his first 
volume not meeting with the expected success, he proceeded no further in the work. In 1786, 
Mr. Wakefield was seized with a violent spasmodic affection in one of his shoulders, the acuteness 
of which, during two years, deprived him of the balmy comfort of sleep, except as that kind 
dispeller of our cares was called to his aid by the soporific power of opiates. But an active genius, 
that lights its way into life by the aid of that internal fire, which man has not in his power to 
bestow, is not very soon to be subdued by those diseases which lay the rest of mankind helpless on 
their beds ; therefore Mr. Wakefield, during this severe affliction, wrote " Remarks" on the poems 
of Gray, and prepared a new translation of Virgil's Georgics. In 1789, he began a work called 
Silva Critica, the first part of which was published at the University press of Cambridge. And, 
on the opening of the new College at Hackney, he was chosen classical instructor; and left 
Nottingham in the summer of 1790, to enter on his new functions; but he left the institution in 
June the following year, and it did not long survive his loss. He now wholly employed himself as 
a man of letters, and in the education of his own children. His Translation of the New 
Testament, with notes, now made its appearance ; and soon afterwards two more parts of his 
Silva Critica. These were followed by another edition of the Translation of the New Testament 
enlarged, and his reply to Mr. Paine's Age of Reason, entitled Evidence on the Christian 
Religion. This was followed by the first volume of The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. with 
remarks and illustrations : — The softly flowing versification of this Nightingale of the Muses, 
as well in his original works, as in his translation of Homer, has erected a monument to his 
memory in the breasts of the. literati, which will hold duration with time itself. Mr. Wakefield 



GILBERT WAKEFIELD. 349 



edited some selections from the Greek tragedians, and editions of Horace, Virgil, Bion, Moschus, 
and Lucretius, with many other occasional publications. 

Our author had now arrived at the highest pinnacle of literary fame ; and by arraigning the 
justice of the slave trade and the war against France, he had procured for himself a considerable 
number of enemies, particularly among, those classes that possess the greatest means of gratifying 
the hateful propensity for revenge. Mr. Wakefield had described Mr. Pitt, the leading state 
minister of the day, as the minister of darkness ; and Mr. Wilberforce, who always professed to 
propose his measures in parliament, whether of peace or war, in the spirit of religion, as a 
politico-theological satyr, who at one time blew the breath of emancipation upon the scorched 
back of the African, and at another the •pestilential breath of war, which blasted the spring 
from the year, by destroying the youth of Europe with the sword. In 1798, Mr. Wakefield 
furnished his enemies with the means of obtaining revenge. Dr. Watson, bishop of Landaff, who, 
as a man of letters and as an eminent divine, in early life had ranged himself on the side of the 
people, had now taken up the pen against popular rights, inasmuch as lie attempted to justify the 
war against the then ripening liberties of France, in a pamphlet, addressed to the people of Great 
Britain ; and, what is not the less singular than true, Mr. Wakefield had an answer to it in the 
printer's hands twenty-four hours after he had read it ; and, as he read it as soon as a copy could 
be obtained, the bane and antidote would therefore have an opportunity of circulating together. — 
Two convictions, upon the printer and publisher of Mr. Wakefield's pamphlet, soon followed its 
publication, the expenses of which he had too much honor to permit them to bear; and a 
prosecution was shortly afterwards commenced against himself, as the author. — Conviction followed, 
almost, as a matter of course ; and, on the 18th of April, 1799, he was brought up to the court 
of King's Bench, Westminster, to receive judgment. This, however, from motives which are 
clearly inferrible, was put off until the next term, during which interval of time he was confined in 
the King's Bench prison, and was charged the moderate sum of fifty pounds for his accommodation 
therein in a single room. In the end, his sentence was, That he be confined in the gaol of 
Dorchester for the space of two years; and, at the end of that time, to give security, in the sum of 
£500 himself for his good behaviour during five years, and two others in the sum of £250 each. 
His own distinguished merit, and the severity of his sentence, caused sympathy to step forwards to 
the aid of his slender income ; and the sum of five thousand pounds (in the raising of which his 
native town took a part) was speedily advanced, and was settled upon him as an annuity. And, in 
November following, Michael Dodson, nephew to the great Judge Foster, bequeathed him five 
hundred pounds. How consoling to the wounded heart are these drops of balsamic juice, which 
exude spontaneously from the uncorrupted tree of patriotic admiration and gratitude ! 

On the 4th of June, 1801, Mr. Wakefield left his dreary cell at Dorchester, where the iron hand 
of relentless severity had been his constant attendant, and returned with his family to Hackney. — 
But, though he came out in apparent good health, he did not long enjoy the sweets of liberty; for 
his confinement had engrafted a complaint upon his constitution, which brought him to the grave 
in about three months ; thus gratifying the most savage wish of his persecutors ; and robbing the 

4 T 



350 x HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



world of its brightest classical ornament, and of the embryo fruit of his refined studies, which time 
cannot restore. 

The author fancies he cannot conclude this sketch better, than in the words of one of Mr. 
V akefield's friends, and doubts not but the sentiments therein so honorably expressed, will be 
admitted by every candid mind to be correct : — ec His talents were rare — his morals pure — his 
" virtues exalted — his courage invincible ; and his integrity without spot." 

His brother, Francis Wakefield, gent, of this town, has long been distinguished for the liberality 
of his sentiments, as well political as religious ; for the suavity of his manners* for his conciliatory 
powers in reconciling jarring interests ; and for generally standing in the foremost list of those 
that promote and support public charities. 

PAUL SAJYDBY. 

Having endeavoured to do justice to the character of Nottingham's renowned warrior, statesman, 
and patriot, whose memory and merits were rescued by accident from the obscurity in which 
prejudice had involved them — to the memory and merits of her own and her county's historian, 
one of whom stands unsurpassed for his industry in local research, and the other for his misfortunes 
as an author — having endeavoured to unfold, with epitometic brevity, the mighty genius and 
profound erudition of her scholars, the pride of her name, the admiration of the country, and the 
ornaments of the world's literati ; having done thus much, it remains to say a few words on another 
of her sons, whose name stands as high in the fine arts, as does her Wakefield's in polite and 
classical literature. 

Thomas Sandby, the father of the subject of these memoirs, was a native of, or sprang from a 
branch of a family of Sandbys at the small village of Babworth in the vicinity of Retford in this 
county ; but whether he was born in Nottingham, or came here to reside in early life, seems not 
now easy of ascertainment ; nor is the question of any importance. Nor have we any knowledge 
of his avocation in life, except that he has left undoubted proof behind him, that he was no novice 
in the art of drawing, as several plates in Deering's Antiquities, which are by far the best, bear his 
name as draughtsman, particularly the east prospect of the town, which is dated 1741 ; and, very 
probably he was dead before the publication of the Antiquities, as most of the other plates are from 
very inferior designs, and are dated in 1750. 

Paul Sandby was born in Nottingham in the year 1732 ; and, in 1746, we find him making his 
way into the Tower of London, by means of the notice which had been taken of him by those who 
had the superintendance of the various drawings therein kept. Probably his father had died about 
this time, from whom having obtained a slight knowledge of the art of drawing, and, probably, 
from being a younger child, and lusting after that art, in which he might have no prospect of 
obtaining a proficiency at home, he might thus make a bold effort to seek his fortune in London, 
as many other geniuses have done, without any calculation as to consequences of disappointment 
and distress. Be this as it may, our young hero had sufficient address, doubtless from a display of 
precocious talent, to obtain a subsistence in the Tower ; and, when he had been there about two 



PAUL SANDBY. 351 



years, his Royal Highness William, Duke of Cumberland, who had previously taken a cursory 
view of Scotland, thought proper to have an actual survey made of the Highlands, and young 
Sandby was appointed draughtsman, under the inspection of Mr. David Watson, a North Briton 
of talent, who, in 1747, had also sought his fortune in London. With this gentleman young 
Sandby leisurely viewed the bold and romantic objects in the northern and western parts of 
Scotland, and made many sketches from the stupendous and terrific scenery with which they 
abound.* Here he saw nature in her wildest and most fantastic mood ; and, the advantage and 
strength of imagination with which he inspected the delectable scenery, added much to that power, 
which he so eminently possessed, of delineating those broad and striking masses of light and shade, 
which have distinguished all his productions. These drawings, excellent as they were, when his 
juvenility is taken into the account, could he considered only as the amusements of a precocious 
mind, during the hours of relaxation; for drawing of plans abounding in straight lines, was the 
ostensible object of his tour; and so dry and uninteresting a study being neither congenial with 
his refined taste, nor worthy of his superior talents, he in 1752, quitted the service of the survey, 
and went to reside with his brother, Mr. Thomas Sandby, at Windsor, of whom we shall speak 
hereafter. During his residence here, he took more than seventy views of Windsor and Eton ; 
scenes which afforded such ample scope to his powers. This exercise of his genius unfolded his 
taste for that beautiful style of architecture denominated Gothic; and the superior manner in 
which he treated it, gave so picturesque an effect to these landscapes, that Sir Joseph Banks 
purchased them at a very liberal price. Mr. Sandby, soon after, had the honor of being one of a 
party that made a tour with this gentleman through north and south Wales, where he made a 
great number of sketches from remarkable scenes, such as castles, gentlemens' seats, &c. under 
the patronage of Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. He afterwards took many more views from 
scenes in the same romantic country, which, with the choicest of those he had previously taken, he 
transferred to copper-plates, and made several sets of prints in imitation of drawings in bister. — 
It has been said in the social circles of the Hon. Charles Greville, that that gentleman gave 
Sandby the first hint of this art; but, be this as it may, certain it is, that he carried the captivating 
art of aquatinla to a degree of perfection never before known in this or any other country. An 
article which conveyed an account of his death to the public had these words:-—" He was the 
" father of modern landscape painting in water-colours, which he carried as far as that kind of 
" painting could, or, with propriety, ought to be carried. He was also the father and protector of 
" merit wherever it was found." 

On the institution of the Royal Society of Arts, in 1768, Mr. Sandby was chosen royal 
academician ; and, the same year, at the recommendation of the Duke of Grafton, he was appointed 
drawing master of the Royal Academy at Woolwich, which situation he held, with credit to himself 
and advantage to the institution to the day of his death, in November, 1809. 

The features which distinguish the works of every eminent landscape painter, necessarily must 



* From these lew lines of a bold ai-.d original genius our young draughtsman made a number of etchings, which, on his return to London, he sold 
to Messrs. Rjland and Brjce, who published them in a folio volume. 



352 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



receive a strong tincture from the place where he made his early studies ; hence it is fair to conclude, 
though our hero left Nottingham at an early age, that the bold, the romantic, and constantly 
beautiful and diversified scenery which surrounds it, made those happy impressions upon his mind, 
which he afterwards so much improved, to the honor of his country and the fame of the arts. In 
the pictures of the celebrated Watteau, the self-taught French artist, there is much to admire ; 
but as he framed his taste from viewing the gardens of the Thuilleries and the regularly dipt 
hedges, or rather green walls about the villas, which, at that time surrounded the French 
metropolis, he has sometimes given us nature in a masquerade habit ; which most certainly would not 
have been the case, had the early impressions been made upon his mind in Switzerland, or the country 
of the Grisons ; but, being 1 a native of Valenciennes, where little else than an uniform flatness in 
the landscape is to be seen ; and proceeding to Paris in quest of patronage, in the surrounding 
scenery of which, art has been so profuse in giving variety to a long sameness in the works of 
nature, that Watteau's early impressions, and, consequently, his future labours, bore evident marks 
of a similarity ; therefore, in order to give the necessary diversity to his paintings, he was 
sometimes driven to an imitation of the would-be fashionable belles in their dress: he was 
necessitated to make lite robing subservient to a display of nature's shapes. 

But with what a contrast are we presented in the works of our Nottingham artist! whose studies 
have embraced the whole circle of picturesque nature, from the shrub which blossoms in the hedge- 
row, to the poplar that glitters in the sunbeams and waves its lofty head in the glade — from the 
nodding beech, which wreaths aloft its odd fantastic roots, to the majestic oak that towers on the 
summit of the mountain — from the cultured vale, waving with golden harvests, spangled over with 
flowerets, and adorned with grazing beeves, to the stupendous and tremendous rock, 

" Whose lofty brow 

" Frowns o'er the foaming flood below."* 

THOMAS SAJYDBY, 

Brother to the above celebrated artist, was born in Nottingham in the year 1721 ; and, though we 
know nothing of the habits of his early life, yet they must have been of an industrious and liberal 
kind, as he was a celebrated architect, and was many years professor of that science in the Royal 
Academy of London : He died in 1798. 

SAMUEL AYSCOUGH, 

This gentleman was son to Mr. George Ayscough, printer in this town, and, no doubt, was born 
while his father resided in Bridlesmith-gate, probably about the year 1740, for we have no correct 
knowledge of the year of his birth. At a proper age he was sent to the Free-School, Storey-street, 
which was then confined to the instructing the pupils in the classics. Lempriere states Mr. 
Ayscough to have been put under the care of a schoolmaster of the name of Johnson, which, if 



• It is somewhat marvellous, that the merits of this great man should hitherto have remained unnoticed, except in Phillip's Public Characters, t» 
which work the author acknowledges himself indebted. 



SAMUEL AYSCOUGH. — THOMAS PEET. 353 



correct, cannot mean the Johnson that was master of the Free-School ; for he left the school in 
the year 1718,, which would make Mr. Ayscough about forty years of age when his father's 
misfortunes prevented him from completing his education, a circumstance which Lempriere 
notices ; we shall therefore proceed with the short narrative without any regard to the name of his 
schoolmaster ; such master probably being the Rev. Timothy Wylde. 

Mr. George Ayscough being unfortunate in business,jhe retired, about the year 1755, to Bramcote, 
where he died ; and his son Samuel was not only deprived of the completion of his intended 
education, but he was necessitated to apply himself to manual labour for his support. He therefore 
engaged in the capacity of servant to a miller, and seemed doomed to bury his talents in the meal- 
tub and to feed on the toll and the sweat of his brow to the end of his days. But fortune, though 
she never blessed him with much wealth, a common practice with the capricious goddess to men of 
superior talents, yet she had pursuits in store for him more congenial to the formation of his mind. 
And, about the year 1770, an old school-fellow, whose name I have not been gratified with, rescued 
him from his drudgery, and obtained an employment for him in the British Museum. Here, as his 
abilities unfolded themselves, he received encouragement; but the principal circumstance which 
ensured him repute in this national establishment, was his making a correct catalogue of the 
numerous collection of manuscripts, which had been many years collecting, and which were of 
comparative little value, for want of arrangement, classification, and direction; and for this, among 
other things, he was appointed assistant librarian to the institution. He was also employed in the 
difficult arrangement of the numerous papers in the Tower. He likewise wrote an index to the 
first fifty-six volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine, to the Monthly Review, and the British Critic. 
But his most difficult task in this kind of labour was, his index to the works of Shakespeare, by the 
aid of which every sentiment in that extraordinary and sentimental author is immediately traced of 
its source. He also appeared as an original author by answering, " Letters of an American 
" Farmer." 

Mr. Ayscough took orders, and obtained the curacy of St. Giles's in the Fields ; and, in 1790, 
he was appointed to preach the annual Fairchild lecture before the Royal Society on Whit- 
Tuesday, in Shoreditch Church, which he continued to do" during fourteen years. In 1804, the 
Lord Chancellor gave him the benefice of Cudham, in Kent; but the appointment was of little 
use to him, for he died the year following. 

THOMAS PEET (an eminent Mathematician,) 

It is a common opinion, that mathematicians are the most unsocial of mankind. This notion, I 
am inclined to believe, is founded on error and prejudice ; for the mathematicians with whom I 
have had the honor of being acquainted, I have found possessing very social habits; and if working 
men, their manners have always displayed the polish of superior minds. It is true that the great 
Emerson, who died in 1782, at the age of eighty-one, was one of the most uncouth and uncourteous 
of human beings, not only in his dress, but in his manners also, one instance of the latter of which 
will suffice. The Duke of Manchester was very partial to Emerson, and would frequently ask him 
to take a ride in his coach, when the other would generally reply, •' Damn your whim-whams, I 

4 U 



354 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" had rather walk." It must be admitted also, that many mathematicians, wishing to become 
Emersons in fame, have only succeeded in aping the rudeness of his behaviour ; and hence public 
prejudice has censured all the class. Some of them too, by an affectatious pretension to a knowledge 
in the silly and justly exploded art of astrology, have exposed themselves to public ridicule, while 
they could only obtain admirers among the most stupid and illiterate, which adds little of value to, 
or rather subtracts from a scholar's fame. And it appears that Mr. Peet, or Peat, was among the 
number of astrological mathematicians. 

In a Nottingham newspaper, of the 26th of February, 1780, I find the subject of this memoir 
thus noticed : — " On Monday last, died in Greyfriars'-gate, aged seventy-two, Mr. Thomas Peat, 
tc land surveyor, a skilful astronomer, mathematician, and schoolmaster. He was the oldest 
" almanack writer in England, having wrote the Gentleman's Diary and Poor Robin., upwards of 
" forty years ; during which time he was never behind hand with his competitors at prognosticating* 
" future events. He was the ablest public teacher of mathematics in this town ; and, many who 
" have shone in that intricate science, laid their first foundation under his inspection. Arithmetic 
" has numbered his days, and geometry measured out his grave : his body is now at rest, and his 
" soul has soared beyond those stars, whose revolutions he so often contemplated. He was 
" concerned with the late ingenious Mr. John Badder of Cossal, in drawing out a new plan and 
" map of this town, which was published, November the 30th, 1744, dedicated to the late Right 
" Hon. Francis Willoughby, Baron Middleton, in the county of Warwick."* 

The following particulars concerning this gentleman I had from his son, who possesses little to 
brighten up the evening of a long life, except the reflection of having descended from the celebrated 
Thomas Peet. 

The father of our mathematician occupied a farm in the township of Ashley Hay in the parish 
of Wirksworth, Derbyshire; and, at a proper age, was sent to school in the neighbourhood, where 
he was taught the rudiments of the English and Latin languages. But, unhappily for him, before 
he had made much progress in any particular branch of learning, his mother, who was very much 
attached to the principles of whiggism, discovered that his master was a tory, and a high-churchman, 
which rendered him so abhorrent in her estimation, that young Peet was immediately taken from 
school, and compelled to drudge with a servant man at the plough and dung-cart.— -This drawback 
upon the powers of an active mind, need not be described ; and the only necessity for alluding to 
it, is to add to the merit of the " Ploughboy," the industry of whose genius was not to be overcome 
with difficulties. Peet had now no books congenial with his wishes, or money wherewith to 
purchase them ; but his attention to labour, as far as his power went, supplied the lamentable 
deficiency. He had already learnt, that there was such a science as mathematics ; and, nothing 
but drinking deeply at the fountain-head, could quench his thirst for becoming a mathematician. 
He carefully stored up every trifling sum of money which his parents gave him, and added to the 
stock by striking with a heavy hammer at a blacksmith's shop, for a penny an hour, after he had 



* The plate of this map, divested of its ornaments, was afterwards sold to Mr. Ayscough for ten guineas, who attached it to Deering's Antiquities. 






THOMAS PEET. CHARLES WILDBOBE. S55 



done the daily work, which his father required at his hands. By these means he obtained a small 
library,, consisting principally of classical and mathematical publications; and, from the good use 
he made of them, he shortly became the idol of the hamlet, and was looked upon by many as a 
prodigy. His fame soon caused an application to be made for him by a gentleman, on very liberal 
terms, who wished to apply his genius to some advantage ; but his parents refused to part with 
him from under their immediate care, for fear that his active principles should be tinctured with 
toryism. — How lamentable is political or religious prejudice, towards whatever party it may lean, 
particularly, as in the case before us, when it interferes with the instruction and developement of 
native genius! 

If young Peet, however, had been permitted to pursue, without unnecessary controlment, his 
favorite study, he would, in all probability, have remained contented under his parental roof; but 
this privilege was, in part denied to him ; he therefore determined to break his bonds, though that 
step of moral disobedience, was accompanied with heart-rending pangs to his fond and over careful 
parents. He therefore fled to Nottingham, at the age of fourteen, and prevailed upon an elder 
brother, then settled here in the capacity of a master joiner and carpenter, to take him as an 
apprentice. Bnt, here Peet's situation was not altered for the better; for his brother would not 
permit him to earn any thing for his Own free disposal, and his reading was restricted to religious 
books. Happily however, it is for science and for the universal interest of mankind, that no 
prison has yet been found strong enough to confine native talent within the encasing bounds of its 
gloomy and noxious cells : Tyrants may enchain it, and poverty may enshroud it ; but its refulgence 
bids defiance alike to the cruel and controlling engines of both. It smiles at the impotency of 
their power, while it writhes under the severity of their lash ; and, like the beams of heaven, bursts 
from behind the sable mantle which vainly seeks to involve it in perpetual gloom. 

Peet., by being a regular attendant with his brother at the Unitarian chapel, became particularly 
noticed by Cornelius Wildbore, a master dyer, who had sufficient penetration to discover a hidden 
genius in the youth, and sufficient generosity of heart to foster it and give it scope. By holding 
frequent conversations with him he found that the bent of his mind was a pursuit after mathematics, 
and he furnished him with the necessary books on that science, and thus laid a firm foundation for 
that superstructure which afterwards ensured fadeless credit to Peet in the scientific world. Such 
progress did Peet make in his studies, when his genius became fanned by the kind hand of literary 
friendship, that he had not been long freed from the trammels of his apprenticeship before he 
commenced his mathematical career; a career which he pursued to the time of his death. For 
conducting the two almanacks above named, he received twenty-three pounds per annum, with 
complete sets of those publications, and the privilege of ordering every new mathematical book 
which appeared, at the expence of his employers. 

CHARLES WILDBORE (an intuitive Mathematician) 

Charles was born in this town inthe year 1736; but whether he was related, though distantly, 
to the Wildbores, dyers, is not for me to say ; but certain it is, that he was left an orphan when 
very young, and that he was confided to the care of those persons who had the charge of St. 

$ 



356 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM, 



Nicholas's workhouse. At a proper age he was recommended to, and placed in, the Blue-coat 
School ; but who took charge of his maintenance I know not. In school he was remarkable only 
'or his extreme dullness and absence of thought, except when placed in contact with figures, at 
which time he appeared quite another boy. Indeed, figures seemed not to have been made for 
the use of Charles Wildbore ; but Charles Wildborefor the use of figures ! Arithmetic, to him, 
Was like shaking hands with an old acquaintance ; and he seemed to be intuitively a mathematician. 
While the boys in the streets were calling him silly Charley, he, regardless of their scoffs, would 
be pondering on the infinity of fluxions, or solving a problem in geometry. At the age of fourteen 
he was put an apprentice, by the trustees of the school, with the usual premium, to Mr. Warton 
Partridge, in this town, apothecary, who was well known to the day of his death, which is but a 
few years ago, by the appellation of Doctor Partridge. But Charles, with an increased propensity 
for mathematics, could be taught little else. Were he employed in the shop to compound medicines, 
the drugs were generally spoilt ; or were he sent out with the compounds already prepared, he 
would frequently mistake the house of the patient. And, what was still more provoking, when 
sent into the cellar to draw liquor for the use of the family, the spigot of the barrel was almost 
always left in a wrong place ! When Charles was reproved for his neglect and forgetfulness, he 
would always promise not to commit the like faults in future ; but no sooner was he left alone, than 
figures would chase the promises from his recollection, and the next day he would commit the like 
faults again, and again make the like promises, if reproved. 

From the time that Charles left Mr. Partridge we hear nothing of him, till we find him married 
to a Miss Anne Lee, at Kirkby- Woodhouse, in this county, when he was twenty-four years of age. 
Shortly after this period he discovered himself to be the legal heir to a comfortable little estate at 
Kirton, about four miles from Boston, in Lincolnshire, which he recovered, and which is enjoyed at 
the present time by his son, the Rev. Charles Wildbore, vicar of Tilton-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire. 
Mr. Wildbore, finding himself in rather easy circumstances, now applied the powers of his mind 
to his favorite studies ; and, at about the age of thirty, he took orders, and shortly afterwards 
obtained the curacy of Broughton Sidney, commonly called Over Broughton, in this county, which 
he held with high reputation to the time of his death, which took place in 1802. At the death of 
Peet, Mr. Wildbore obtained either the whole, or a principal share in the management of the 
Gentleman's Diary ; and, at the same time, procured for 

JOHN PEARSON, 

Also an eminent mathematician and school-master of Nottingham, the conducting of Poor Robin's 
Almanack ; which production he had the management of to the day of his death, which took place 
in 1791, he being sixty-two years of age. Mr. Pearson was famous as a satirist, and few gentlemen 
in this town or neighbourhood escaped his barbed shafts ; therefore, by that class, he was more 
feared than beloved. Though satirists are necessary as correctors of those vices which the laws 
cannot reach, yet it is a difficult task for one of that class to learn where corrective justice ends, 
and where abuse begins ; hence it is, that their enemies always outnumber their friends, at least 
among men of property ; and hence it is, that they seldom receive the due reward of their merit, 



JOHN PEARSON HENRY SHIPLEY. 357 



until death has rendered them insensible to its value. And though this may, in a great degree, be 
considered the case with Mr. Pearson, yet his company was always courted by men of letters ; but 
it could seldom be obtained without a handsome sacrifice at the shrine of Bacchus. When the 
new burying-ground of St. Nicholas's parish was consecrated, Mr. Pearson was heard to say, " It 
" is not unlikely that my body may be the first corpse interred here," which supposition was 
verified by the fact. Had this supposition and its subsequent verification happened when 
astrology and divinity were alike considered holy pursuits, and when, in fact, they were equally 
profitable, the circumstance would have ensured Mr. Pearson the character of a conjurer; but we 
will do him the justice to say, that his good sense induced him to hold all notions of astrology in 
contempt. Mr. Pearson left some property which is enjoyed by his son and his daughter, both 
holding respectable stations in life. 



HENRY SHIPLEY 

Was the eldest surviving son of Henry Shipley, who was gardener to the late John Shervvin, Esq. 
of St. Mary's-gate in this town, during a space of thirty-six years. Young Henry was born on the 
27th of June, 1763 ; and, as he grew up, he displayed talents far superior to his years, which 
along with an established attachment to his family, induced Mr. Shervvin to notice him in a 
particular manner; and, at that gentleman's instigation, he was placed in the Blue-coat School, 
under the tuition of Mr. Pearson, whom we have just noticed, and whom Shipley, to the day of his 
death, called his father. Pearson saw the talents in the boy, and gave those talents wings. At 
the age of thirteen he was articled to Mr. Wilkinson, conductor of the academy in Parliament-, 
street, for seven years ; at the end of which time, Mr. Blanchard, who succeeded Mr. Wilkinson, 
is said to have declared him to be the finest English scholar that Nottingham had produced. After 
having been employed in several schools as an usher, he opened one for himself in Halifax-lane, 
where now stands the Methodist Chapel. He likewise practised as a land surveyor and 
draughtsman, particularly the latter, with no common reputation. 

When the blaze of the French revolution burst forth to the astonishment of mankind, it was 
impossible that a man of Shipley's strong empassioned mind and conspicuousness of character 
should remain an idle spectator ; and he shewed himself strongly attached to the aristocratic side, 
seeking daily for opportunities to impugn and condemn the presumption of opposing the actions of 
hereditary kings, whatever might be their conduct. But Shipley was not long to remain in this; 
degrading state of mental blindness and subserviency: he began to reason upon the origin of human 
right — upon the nature of man's individual and collective interests — upon his claim to the power 
of abrogating odious laws and barbarous customs, and of substituting others in their stead ; and 
he soon came to the conclusion, that the office of king had been created for the use of the people, 
and not the people for the use of kings ; and that the right of changing or altering the government 
of a country, rested exclusively with the national will. Our scholar was not long therefore ere he 
changed sides ; and he carried into the ranks of his new associates all the vigour and energies of 
his souL 

4 X 



358 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



As Shipley's genius and education qualified him in so ample a manner to take a leading- part in 
political circles, it is no wonder that the friends of freedom considered the acquisition of him as an 
host. Of every political society or party formed in the town, Shipley must be a member, to 
instruct with his knowledge, and enliven with his wit, until company became as habitual to him as 
his food. Numerous petitions, of which he generally was the writer, were presented to these 
companies in behalf of persecuted persons, and others in distress ; and in the compliance with the 
prayers of which he frequently set an example by his generosity. He was the author too of many 
fugitive political pieces, generally to his cost. To these numerous and regular drainings of his 
purse, may be added the calls of an increasing family; no wonder then that his coffer never 
overflowed. 

Shortly after the death of his first wife, he married the sister of Mr. Thomas Maltby, lace- 
manufacturer, and now banker of this town. As Mr. Maltby had no family of his own — as he 
possessed an ample fortune and a generous heart, and loved his sister with the tenderest affections 
of a brother, there is little doubt but this connection would have afforded Shipley the means of 
gliding down the stream of life pretty easily, could he have bent his lofty soul to have sought, yet 
with manliness and an independency of mind, the friendship of that gentleman ; and, for not doing 
of which, many of his best friends frequently rebuked him, but in vain. Mr. Maltby had strongly 
opposed the match, partly from political motives ; but his heart was too good to contain a particle 
of persecution within it ; and Shipley had sufficiently punished him for this opposition, by the 
success of his suit ; but, whether our scholar really thought so, is not for me to say. He knew he 
possessed talents of a very superior kind, to which, he thought, every thing else ought to give 
way. — Pride is a most important ingredient in the composition of the human mind, when 
accompanied with a due proportion of prudence ; and a man of talent without it would lose that 
consequence in society, which nature, justice, and a conformation of habits proclaim his due ; but 
pride without prudence destroys its own purpose; and is infinitely less desirable than prudence 
without pride. 

After this worthy woman had brought Mr. Shipley three children, he found himself a widower 
a second time, and with circumstances much on the wane. That company to which he used to 
resort for the purpose of giving and receiving' information and for conviviality, he now flew to with 
increased avidity for the purpose of therein finding a shield against those feelings which preyed 
deeply upon his wounded heart. But, we will not pursue this subject further. Suffice it to say, 
that he died, after a short illness, on the 14th of February, 1808, deeply lamented by a numerous 
and respectable circle of friends. His brother John, a master framesmith, took charge of his elder 
boy, the only remaining child by his first wife; and Mr. Maltby took charge of the other three. 

As a tribute to the memory of a departed friend and man of talent, the author of this work wrote 
the following lines, which were intended to be engraven -on a tombstone, but which object has 
hitherto remained unaccomplished : — 

Stop, passenger, nor take report on trust, 

Concerning him, whose cold and mouldering dust 

Entombed lies, beneath this worm-fraught clay, 

Uatouch'd by winter's blast or summer's scorching ray. 



HENRY SHIPLEY. — HENRY KIRKE WHITE. 359 



If boundless genius — if a giant mind... 

If piercing wit, with sentiment combined—. 

If unfeigned kindness to his friends around—. 

If pouring balsam where distress was found—. 

If bidding science take her due control, 

And light unfolding to the clouded soul—. 

If these endowments ever formed a man, 

Designed by nature on her happiest plan ? 

Then such was Shipley— though his faults notfeze t 

Which in succession from his virtues grew I 

Then him surpass in virtue and in fame; 

And leave to slander all his faults to name. 
Mr. Shipley, at one time, had made considerable progress in preparing an English Grammar 
for the press ; but when Mr. John Home Tooke's elaborate treatise on the same subject made its 
appearance, Mr. Shipley burnt his manuscript, saying, he would not compete with so great a 
man as Home Tooke. 

HEJYR Y KIRKE WHITE. 

If, in portraying the character of this remarkable young man, who may be compared to a 
carnation which might fortuitously bloom in January, only to excite admiration and then be cut off 
by the next nipping frost, I were to give full scope to my feelings of smypathy, I might give 
detraction occasion to charge me with begging a question too nearly allied with self ; I shall 
therefore spare myself the pleasing task; and will just observe, the youth has had an eugolist : he 
shall now have a biographer. 

Henry was the second son of John and Mary White of Nottingham, where he was born on the 
21st of March, 1785. His mother keeps a boarding school for young ladies ; and his father, till 
of late, was a master butcher. Henry, when very young, displayed his propensity for learning by 
his ever seeking to be in possession of a book, not to play with, as is customary with other children, 
but for the purpose of infantile contemplation. At the age of seven, it was discovered by his 
parents, that he made a practice of secretly instructing the servant girl how to write, he having 
then been about a year under Mr. Blanchard, at the academy in Parliament-street At this school 
he was taught writing, arithmetic, and French ; at the same time he was doomed to trudge one 
whole day in the week and occasionally on others with the butcher's basket, until, at the intercession 
of his mother he was rescued from the task. Mrs. White having had a liberal education, and 
possessing a tolerable share of penetration, thought she discovered a strong natural genius in her 
son, which *he wished to foster by every means in her power; but, what was her astonishment, 
when told by one of Mr. Blanchard's blockhead ushers, that Henry was so dull and incorrigible 
that it was impossible to teach him any thing. The disquietude occasioned to the family by this 
declaration, equally ignorant and insulting, was soon done away by the removal of Henry from this 
academy, and the placing him under the direction of a master that was capable of distinguishing 
between " dulness" and intuitive talent. He was placed under the care of Mr. Shipley, of whom 
we have just spoken, and, under whose judicious direction, his genius shortly burst forth. — ■ 



360 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



To a correct knowledge of the English language, which he soon learnt under this excellent master, 
he added the Greek and Latin languages, which he was taught by M'Cormick, the well known 
author of the Life of Burke, and continuator of Hume and Smollet.* 

When Henry was fourteen, it was determined to make him a hosier, preparatory to which, he 
was consigned a year to the stocking frame, to give proper ideas of the quality of a stocking, which 
situation was as irksome to him, as being chained to the butcher's basket ; because, he observed, 
there was nothing about the frame to occupy his brains. How much mistaken was this ardent 
youth ! and, how would he have blushed, had he lived to have obtained maturity to his genius, at 
having made use of such an expression ; for he would have found, upon judicious inquiry, of all 
the pieces of mechanism ever produced by the skill of man, that a stocking frame is the most 
complete, particularly if we add its numerously appended machines. But the mind of our young 
scholar, if we may be allowed the boldness of the figure, was like the world's vast surface in its 
first efforts to form itself from its original chaos : it assumed new shapes, and took new directions, 
in proportion as it was acted upon by an agency which it had not sufficient solidity to resist. — 
Hence the many changes which Henry is said to have made in his notions about religion, futurity, 
&c. which would be doing an injustice to his memory to dwell upon ; and hence the numerous 
theories, which transitorily existed in his fancy, and on which he proposed to erect the practical 
pursuits of his life. His fancy was too fruitful for the imaginary dimensions of his mind ; and the 
Jatter, like a caldron over heated, was frequently discharging its contents, without order or design. 

Young White again found a powerful advocate in his mother, whose persuasions overcame his 

father's logic ; and he was taken from the stocking frame and placed at the desk of Messrs. Coldham 

and Enfield, attorneys-at-law. A new and most enchanting field of action now presented itself to 

Henry's imagination. He had learnt that the practice of the law was a proper field for the display 

of the most masculine intellectual powers ; he knew too that many had risen by its means from the 

depth of obscurity to almost the highest stations in life ; and he already heard, by the most 

captivating anticipation, his own powerful eloquence thundering at the bar ; nor did he lose any 

opportunity to befit himself for the realization of his hopes. In his stated hours he applied himself 

unremittingly to his duty at the desk of his employers; while his vacant hours and nearly the whole 

of the night were occupied in mental improvement. He occasionally studied logic, theology, 

mechanics, most of the modern European, and the dead languages ; but he particularly attended to 

the statute and common law of England, in the knowledge of the latter of which a great many 

attorneys are so miserably deficient. They learn the heads of the statute law by rote, as a butcher's 

boy learns how to make skewers ; and, when to this they have added a tolerable knowledge of 

conveyancing, they think themselves complete lawyers. It seems, however, that young White had 

obtained a correct knowledge of what it was necessary for an attorney to learn ; and he therefore 

applied himself particularly to the common law — it is fair to presume, that he received this hint, 

and the means of pursuing its directions, from the gentlemen whom he served. Master White also 

* This profound scholar was then residing in Nottingham, under the name of Cavendish, an exile from his native country (Ireland.) and obtained 
a scanty pittance by teaching the learned languages He was the first editor of the Statesman London daily newspaper; but he died miserable in 
London ; and the last articles he sold for subsistence were his books! 



HENRY KIRKE WHITE. 361 



attended closely to the study of oratory, as on his success therein, he justly concluded, his ulterior 
hopes considerably depended ; but how was he, alone, to regulate the melody and cadence of his 
voice, and give to his person the grace of commanding action ? These were weighty obstacles for 
a boy of fifteen to encounter ! After various attempts, rendered unsuccessful on account of his 
youth, to gain admission into a literary society, at that time held at Nottingham, he succeeded ; 
and, the evening he was admitted, he equally charmed and astonished the members thereof, by 
delivering an extemporary lecture, which lasted two hours, upon the poicers of genius. — 
Chatterton ! unfortunate and misguided Chatterton ! here was found a rival, even to thyself! 
and though, as thou hadst, he had not, while in his teens, borne the torch of literature blazing in 
his hand through the proud metropolis of the British empire; yet, like thyself, he was snatched 
from the society of men, before the bloom of manhood had mantled on his brow. 

Thus passed on the days of this extraordinary youth, until his mother's forebodings respecting 
his constitution, and whose admonitions he had disregarded, were too apparent in a regular decline 
of his health. He was seized too with an unconquerable deafness, which unfitted him for the law. 
The church was now thought of as a proper place for the display of his talents, and as a sanctuary 
against the clouds of adversity; but how to obtain his introduction was a difficulty which 
appeared almost insurmountable. At length, however, this difficulty was overcome, and he was 
placed in the University of Cambridge in October, 1804, Messrs. Coldham and Enfield generously 
giving up the articles of agreement ; and, at the same time they furnished him with a character 
which did equal honor to his qualities and their own feelings. He now entered upon a new career; 
but, to him, it was the career of death ; for the complaint which had been brought upon him by 
severe study, now received an increase of power from the same cause ; and he died on the 19th of 
October, 1806, when the honors of the University appeared only to be waiting for an increase of 
years, in order to their being placed upon his brow. Though but two years in this seminary he 
was twice acknowledged the victor at the college examinations ; and, on one of these occasions he 
was declared one of the best three theme writers ; and Who was the best of these three, the 
examiners declared their inability to determine. But the best and proudest trait in this young: 
man's character is yet to name : He possessed a constitutional irritability of temper ; which 
potent enemy to the social virtues, he had the courage la attack, and the fortitude to 
overcome t 

At the age of seventeen he published a small volume of poems, which, since his death, has been 
re-published along with a number of his other Writings, consisting principally of letters of advice 
to his friends, on moral and religious subjects ; and the chief value of which is, to shew ichat 
might have been expected from his pen, if he had lived to mature his judgment, and regulate the 
floating ideas of his mind. And it is fair to say, if his friends had consulted his reputation as an 
author, they would have suppressed the principal part of his poems in the publication of his 
papers after his death, as they contain very few thoughts of value which are not borrowed from 
Goldsmith, Milton, Bloomfield, &c. ; though it must be confessed that, in this plagiarism, there is 
considerable ingenuity displayed. As it would be an act of injustice to write a critique upon the™ 

4 Y 



362 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



writings of a deceased boy, I shall merely give one extract from his poem addressed " To the 
" Morning," as a proof of the truth of what is stated above : — • 

"And hark! the thatchcr has begun 

" His whistle on the caves, 
" And oft the hedger's bill is heard 

" Among the rustling leaves. 
" The slow team creaks upon the road, 

u The noisy whip resounds, 
v The driver's voice, his carol blithe, 
" The mower's stroke, his whetting scythe, 

" Mix with the morning's sounds." 

The following lines are from Milton's L' Allegro : — 

" While the ploughman, near at hand, 
" Whistles o'er the furrow'd land, 
Ci And the milkmaid singeth blithe, 
" And the mower whets his scythe, 
" And every shepherd tells his tale 
" Under the hawthorn in the dale." 

There is a passage too in our juvenile author's " Clifton Grove," that it would be an act of gross 
injustice to the mechanics of Nottingham, therein alluded to., not to notice; which is as follows : — 

" Or, where the town's blue turrets dimly rise, 
" And manufacture taints the ambient skies, 
" The pale mechanic leaves the lab'ring loom, 
" The air-pent hold, the pestilential room, 
" And rushes out, impatient to begin 
" The stated course of customary sin." 

Were the author of this libel in a state of manhood, and did not retract it, he should receive that 
chastisement which would be his due, if he had not previously received it at the hands of one of 
these " pale mechanics" with a horse whip. For, however poets are held in public estimation — ■ 
and, most certainly, no man holds the bright luminaries of that cast in higher estimation than does 
the writer of these pages ; yet he has no hesitation in saying, that the mechanics of Nottingham 
(whose paleness is a strong- mark of their misfortunes) are of more real value to society, t/ian 
are all the poets that ever lived, or ever will live. Besides, for a boy of sixteen to assume the 
censorship over the great mass of a large and an enlightened population, and condemning- them in 
one sweeping ban for following- recreations, at the close of a long day's labour, which the iron- 
souled Cato the elder would have supported, as indispensable to health ; and when the industry of 
these very " pale mechanics" had enabled his father, as a tradesman, to feed, clothe, and educate 
him — for a boy of sixteen to do this, is such an outrage upon good sense, propriety, and decorum, 
as to defy an apologist to find a palliative, except contempt concedes it to boyish pertness. And 
there is too much reason to believe, that this superciliousness had taken deep root in his mind, as in 
a letter addressed to his sister a few months before his death, on a probability being held out of his 



HENRY KIRKE WHITE. WALTER MERREY. 363 



obtaining the situation of master of the Free-School in this town, he says, " The place would 
" scarcely be an object to me, for I am very certain, that if I chuse, when I have taken my degree, 
" I may have half a dozen pupils, to prepare for the University, with a salary of £100 per annum, 
" which would be more respectable, and more consonant with my habits and studies, than drilling 
" the fry of a trading town, in learning which they do not know how to value." Here are the 
sentiments of a Cardinal Wolsey, who, as report says, though perhaps more degradingly than truly, 
was also nursed on the butcher's stall. But as none will attribute to me a desire to underrate 
talent on account of the origin or calling of its possessor; so none will attribute this remark to a 
desire to lessen either the one or the other : no, it is the superciliousness of the young man which 
called forth the comparison with the reported origin of the tyrant-slave Wolsey ; and the most 
unpardonable part of the business is, his friends permitting such sentiments to be published after 
his death ; as, while they add nothing to his credit as a writer, they form such a serious drawback 
upon the benignity and felicitation of his heart. 

WALTER MERREY. 

This gentleman was a native of York, but was put apprentice to a surgeon in Nottingham. His 
master, however dying shortly after, he was then apprenticed to a gentleman who followed the 
united business of hosier and woolcomber, a unity much practised in the early stage of the 
framework-knitting trade; and which united businesses Mr. Merrey followed many years in 
Castle-gate, where he died. He was remarkable for his knowledge in ancient medals and coins, a 
large collection of which he made for his own curiosity. In 1794, he published a treatise on the 
coinage of England, from the earliest period of authentic record to that time ; and assigned causes 
for the great scarcity of silver : had he lived a few years longer he would have had opportunities in 
abundance of assigning causes for the great scarcity of gold likewise. His book contained 
observations on the ancient Roman coinage, and a description of some medals and coins found near 
Nottingham ; and the whole was highly spoken of by the reviewers. He died, at an advanced age, 
in the year 1799. 



364 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



CHAPTER XII. 

ECCENTRIC CHARACTERS, &c. 






WILLIAM SO ME US (the distinguished Impostor of Nottingham ) 

The imposture of this youth, as connected with the infamous conduct of the Rev. John Darrel, 
minister of Mansfield, and, afterwards assistant minister of St. Mary's in this town, became so 
much a subject of public interest at the time, that many of the circumstances attending* it have 
been handed down by tradition in a confused manner to the present day, though they happened 
as early as the year 1597. I have therefore, along with my ever industrious, and, hitherto, 
nameless friend, been at considerable pains to obtain a true relation of the affair. And, by happily 
getting possession of a very scarce " Historical Essay concerning witchcraft," written by the Rev, 
Dr. Hutchinson, minister of St. James's parish, St. Edmund's Bury, and chaplain in ordinary to 
George the First, which was published in 1718, the object has been accomplished. And, I feel 
the greater interest in giving the relation at some length, as there is little doubt the reader will take 
in perusing it, from a sister of one of the aldermen of Nottingham being maliciously implicated in 
possessing the supposed demoniac — from the magistrates and other gentlemen interesting themselves 
on one side or the other in the affair; and from the judges of assize, and afterwards the archbishop 
of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the Lord Chief Justices of the courts of King's Bench and 
Common Pleas, &c. being commissioned to inquire into and determine it. 

It is wonderful to us of the present day, that the notions of witchcraft and demoniac possession 
should have been permitted to make such havoc with the peace and happiness of society, 
particularly after the reformation was established ; for, from that happy epoch to the close of the 
sixteenth century, about one hundred and fifty persons were hanged or burnt as witches or 
zoizzards, when these disgraceful scenes received their death blow, principally from the integrity 
and enlightened understanding of Lord Chief Justice Holt.* It is not the less singular that the 
established church and the legislature of England should have given importance to the disgraceful 
notions of witchcraft by attempts to regulate them : for instance ; the seventy-second canon was 
principally occasioned by this very case of Somers's, now under consideration, which directs, that 
any clergyman shall be subject to the penalties inflicted upon an impostor, who shall use prayers 
for the casting out of devils, unless he first obtained a licence to authorize him to do so from the 



* From the restoration of Charles the Second, to the year 171?, not less than twenty-one publications appeared in this country in favor of 
witchcraft, the names- of which, with those of their authors, as far as depends upon the writer hereof, shall rest in eternal sleep. 



WILLIAM SOMERS. 365 



bishop of his diocese. And, about two years before, a law was passed by the English* government, 
against feeding, and rewarding, or giving suck to evil sjnrits. 

Dr. Harsenet, afterwards Archbishop of York, while he was chaplain to Bancroft, Archbishop 
of Canterbury, who died in 1610, endeavoured to crush the notions of witchcraft by ridicule, in a 
book which he entitled " A Declaration of Popish Impostures," and in which he gives the following 
ludicrous description of a witch : — From a number of silly notions which he enumerates, he says, 
" Out of these is shaped as the true idea of a witch — an old weather beaten crone, having her chin 
" and her knees meeting for age, walking like a bow leaning on a staff, hollow-eyed, untoothed, 
" furrowed on her face, having her lips trembling with the palsy, going mumbling in the streets. 
iC one that hath forgotten her pater-noster, and yet hath a shrewd tongue to call a drab a drab." 
The same author relates an anecdote told by John Bodin, a Frenchman, who died in 1596, in 
the following words : — " A witch sold an egg to an Englishman, and by the same transformed him 
" into an ass, and made him her market mule three years to ride on to buy butter." — Perhaps 
this Frenchman had a political allusion in his head, and wrote the anecdote for some offence he 
might have received when on a visit in England with the Duke of A.lencon, for he was great wit, 
which Dr. Harsenet does not inform us of. Of Merlin, who lived in the fifth century, and who ma} r 
be considered the father of English mathematicians, it was almost universally believed, during 
many centuries, that he was begotten upon his mother by the devil, under the influence or disguise 
of an incubus. This devilish origin is supposed to have given Merlin such devilish power, that 
when Uther Pendragon fell in love with Igraine, wife of Garlois, Duke of Cornwall, he 
transformed the said Pendragon into the likeness of the duke, who took this opportunity of 
begetting upon the said duchess, in the castle of Tintagil, the celebrated king Arthur. Having 
thus given a few instances of witchcraft and demoniac credulity, we will proceed with our 
narrative. 

William Somers, when we first hear of him, lived in the capacity of a servant boy with one 



* The following is an exact copy of a licence granted in consequence of tlie promulgation of this canon; and is the only one, I believe, upon record. 
It was granted by the Bishop of Chester in the year 1603, concerning a boy, twelve years of age, of the name of Thomas Harrison, whose parents 
resided at Norwich : — First we think it fit, and do require the parents of the said child, that they suffer not any to repair to their house to visit him, 
saving such as are in authority, and other persons of special regard, and known discretion ; and to have special care, that the number always be small. 
Further —having seen tlie boilily afflictions of the said child, and observed in sundry fits very strange effects and operations, either proceeding of natural 
unknown causes, or some diabolical practice; we think it convenient and fit, for the ease and deliverance of the said child from his grievous afflictions, 
iha> prayer be made for him publicly by the minister of the parish, or any other preacher repairing thither, before the congregation, so often as the 
same assembleth. And certain, preachers, namely, Mr. Garrard, Mr. Massey, Mr. Coller, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Pierson, and Mr. Erownhill, 
these only, and none other, to repair unto the said child, by turns, as their leisure will serve, and to use their discretions for private prayer and fasting, 
for the ease and comfort of the afflicted; withal requiring them to abstain from all solemn meetings, because the calamity is particular, and the 
authority of allowing and prescribing such meetings resteth neither in them, nor us, but in our superiors, whose pleasure it is fit we should expect.— 
Moreover, because it is by some held, that the child is really possessed of an, unclean spirit ; for that there appearetli to us no certainty, nor yet any- 
great probability thereof, we think it also convenient, and require the preachers aforesaid, to forbear all forms of exorcisms, which always imply and 
suppose a real and actual possession. RICH. CESTRIENSIS, 

DAVID YATE, Chancellor, 
GRIFF. VAUGHAN, 
HUGH BURGHES. 
4 Z 



366 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Mr. Brakettbury, at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where dwelt one John Barrel, apparently about twelve 
years older than Somers, and who will be found acting- a most conspicuous part in this imposture. 
This Barrel was consigned by his friends to the study of the law, but being- of a very indolent 
disposition, and, pretending- to be called by the Spirit, he commenced preacher of the gospel among 
what were called Puritans in that day ; and shortly afterwards commenced exorcist, and obtained 
the appellation of Dr. Barrel. The boy, Somers, while residing 1 with Mr. Brakenbury, affected 
to be troubled with an odd kind of fits, which, it afterwards appeared, feel was instructed in the 
exhibition of by Mr. Barrel. His master discharged him, and he very soon recovered; for Barrel 
had gone to settle at Mansfield in his capacity of divine. The boy was then sent to Nottingham, 
where his mother had been married to a person of the name of Robert Cowper, and who bound 
him apprentice to one Thomas Porter; but what business the latter followed, 1 find not, as it is 
simply stated that he was " one of the town-music." The boy, however, frequently ran away, 
and as frequently returned, when driven by necessity ; and, when his time of apprenticeship had 
expired, his master demanded him to stay: until he had made up the time which he had lost by 
running away. The boy, now grown to man's estate, determined upon an expedient to weary- 
his master out. He therefore pretended to be very ill ; and, by having got the knack of puffing 
up his belly, and by giving his face and body strange contortions, he excited the attention of idle 
and superstitious persons, some of whom declared him to be bewitched, and at the same time 
brought him a book concerning witchcraft, from which he obtained some hints, very useful in his 
new profession. He was induced also to declare, that an old woman was his tormentor, because 
he had refused to g-ive her a hat-band, which he had found. Among the rest of the idlers that 
called upon and gave countenance to young Somers, was a sister of Br. Barrel's, who said her 
brother at Mansfield had already cast devils out of nine possessed persons, and that there was no 
doubt of his curing this youth, if applied to for that purpose. Somers, when in his fits, from this 
time was constantly calling upon " Darrel ! Barrel !" therefore Mr. Aldridge, vicar of St. 
Mary's, wrote to the doctor, desiring his assistance. The game now took a more important 
direction : Mr. Barrel declared, in the youth's hearing, how he had seen others act — that he 
was possessed by a devil — that he would be much worse, before he was better — that he was then 
suffering for all the sins of Nottingham ; and that there must be a. fast in the town, held specially 
for the youth's recovery. It seems that some very large and respectable house was appointed for 
service to be held in, on this solemn, occasion ; and, in order to impress the people's minds more 
powerfully, preparative thereto, he gave out, that all husbands must forbear to have carnal 
connection with their wives the previous night, that they might see the signs of possession and 
dispossession more clearly. This is a new recipe for the clearing of human sight; and one, 
perhaps, which the ladies may not be very desirous of having recommended. 

The 7th of November was the day appointed for the fast and the grand exorcisatjon ; and, in 
the morning, Somers was brought to the house appointed, kicking and struggling upon seven 
men's shoulders. A Mr. Aldrid preached the first sermon, during which time the possessed lay 
still; but, when Mr. Barrel commenced, and had distinctly described fourteen signs which the 



WILLIAM SOMERS. 367 



youth must pass through, a swelling' ran from his head to his legs ; he muttered strange expressions ; 
his tongue appeared to swell, and to roll down his throat ; he endeavoured to cast himself into the 
fire; hisjomts became stiff; in short, lie exhibited the fourteen si^ns of possession, which Mr. 
Barrel had named. He Had now three signs of dispossession to go through, which consisted of 
crying, rending his garments, and lying as if dead. These were easily managed — out flew the 
devil ; but whether, the men had obeyed Mr. Barrel's injunctions, or their wives' caresses and their 
own desires, the night before, seems rather doubtful, as we are not told that any of the company, 
which consisted of an hundred and fifty, saw the devil in his flight. However Mr. Barrel, with 
uplifted hands, called upon his hearers to confess their sins ; and two of them were silly enough to 
attend to his injunction. About a week after, this holy man was induced to accept of the situation 
of assistant minister at St. Mary's; and, as all this juggling would not induce the youth's master 
to give up his indenture, Mr. Barrel bought his time out, cloathed him, and placed him under the 
care of his father-in-law, to whom he made promises of recornpence ; taking care first to obtain a 
handsome collection from his congregation — such is trick and credulity. 

Mr. Barrel gave out in his sermons, that Somers was still in great danger, as well as the rest of 
the family ; for the devil generally assaulted more than one of a family, and that he sometimes came 
in the shape of a cock, a crane, a snake, a toad, a newt, a set of dancers, or an angel, which had 
such an effect upon the servant girls in the town, that none of them could be induced to go into the 
cellars to fetch liquors. 

Somers again became possessed, and, having obtained the faculty of pointing out witches, he 
named thirteen poor women as such, who were all committed to the gaol. Making so fortunate 
a trade of it himself, and as Barrel prepared the public mind for such an event, Mary Cowper, the 
half sister of Somers, declared herself bewitched, and pointed out Alice Freeman, sister to Alderman 
Freeman, wiio was mayor in 1606, and 1613, as her bewitching tormenter, who was likewise 
committed to prison. This was noble game to catch ; but it proved the ruin of the sport, and 
likewise of Doctor Darrel, the huntsman. The girl had had one child, which was dead, and, from 
the size of her belly, and, perhaps, from other reasons perfectly well understood by herself, she 
thought she was with child again; but the holy Mr. Barrel said, " If she were with child, it was 
" such a child, as God bless every good body from !" Companies of women got about her, expecting 
her to be delivered of some horrid monster, at which she would laugh most immoderately, as she 
afterwards declared at their folly ; and when she became exhausted by laughing, and lay still, the 
conjurers about her would exclaim, " Lord have mercy upon us, she is in a trance !" But the 
mayor, Mr. Alderman Freeman, and others, caused Somers to be removed to the workhouse, where 
he confessed the whole to be imposture, and declared that Barrel had instructed him in all his 
tricks, which he displayed before the mayor, &c. for their amu ement ; and as we hear no more of 
Mary Cowper, except that of her confession, it is probable that her brother's confinement had a 
good effect upon her also. 

It may be supposed by the reader, that the business would have ended here; but Mr. Barrel 
was too great a hero in the field of glory to be thus cheated of his prize. He therefore thundered 



368 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



out in the pulpit, that Somers's confession was a stronger proof of his possession, and that the devil 
and he had made a compact to obscure the glorious work of God. Fanaticism flew to Darrel's 
aid, and his friends were extremely industrious ; and Sir John Byron calling- to see Somers told 
him that if he were found to have been counterfeiting he deserved to be hanged. Thus pressed on 
one side and threatened on the other, the youth was left in suspense what to do; the Archbishop 
of York therefore issued a commission to a number of gentlemen and clergymen in the 
neighbourhood, for them to inquire into and determine the business. The day came for the 
investigation, and Somers had agreed to stand to his confession : he was to perform his tricks of 
pretended possession at the call of the mayor; but Darrel's witnesses made such an impression 
upon the learned members of this commission, and the audience in general, that the mayor was put 
out of countenance, and he neglected to call upon the youth, who, finding to his astonishment that 
his confession was not likely to be believed, declared that he was possessed — the commissioners 
declared themselves of the same opinion, and ordered him to be committed to the care of Darrel, 
which gave the latter a triumph, though not a very complete one. Somers now played his 
demoniac pranks with additional energy, and Darrel declared, as soon as the spring assizes were 
over, which were fast approaching, another public fast should be observed in the town for another 
dispossession ; but Sir Edmund Anderson, Lord Chief Justice of the court of Common Pleas, 
who happened to come the circuit, determined the matter otherwise. The mayor and aldermen 
stated the whole case, and its manifold mischievous consequences, to his lordship, whose mind was 
of the proper cast for receiving the necessary impression ; he therefore ordered Somers to be 
brought before him, who acknowledged the imposture throughout, and displayed all his tricks and 
desisted from them at his lordship's bidding. Darrel foamed, and raged, and prayed, but all in 
vain : Somers had got his fears removed : he therefore became well without an exorcist, and 
continued well ; and the Judge represented the necessity of having a high court of commission 
appointed to examine fully into the affair, and to determine upon Darrel's guilt or innocence. — 
Accordingly the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the two Lord Chief Justices, 
the Master of the Requests, the Dean of the Arches, &c. were appointed to this duty. Somers and 
Darrel, with forty-four witnesses were taken up to London, among whom were the commissioners 
that had previously tried the case; and it must have been truly amusing to hear these reverend 
and lay gentlemen admit, that their decision had been very much influenced by the appearance 
of a black dog in the room at the time, which Somers happened to see, when he artfully called 
out, a dog ! a dog ! and which belonged to one Clarke, who happened to be one of the auditors.* 
Suffice it further to say, that Somers stuck to the truth — his father-in-law, the vicar of St. Mary's, &c. 
declared their repentance for the parts they had taken — that Darrel was convicted of contriving 
the whole imposture ; and that he was deposed from the ministry and committed to prison, there to 
remain till the court had determined upon his further punishment ; with the nature and extent of 
which punishment we have not been informed by our author. 



* Sir John Byron was one of these Goth&mites! 



JAMES o'burns. 369 



JAMES OBURJYS, 

A celebrated ventriloquist, was a native of Ireland, but, from his having married and settled at 
Shelford, a few miles hence, and other circumstances, not worthy of notice, connected with his 
new localisation, he obtained, and was generally known by the name of Shelford Tommy. He 
passed from village to village, in his beaten circle of mendicity, always considering Nottingham 
his head-quarters, because here he met with considerable patronage from the common companies . 
in public-houses. The labouring, and, I may truly say, many of the higher orders, were then 
amused with dog-fancying, badger-baitings, cock-fightings, blackguard combats, ventriloquists, 
mountebanks, &c. ; but now the case is otherwise — in lieu of these amusements, which some 
legislators have been wicked enough to call good, and disgraceful enough to call national — in lieu 
of these, the labouring classes of Nottingham now think, reason, digest, and draw conclusions on 
questions of human right and political economy, with a precision which would have done honor to the 
sages a century ago. These observations will account for the success he met with here, along with 
his doll, which he used to pretend answered his numerous and silly questions. However, for the 
sake of giving the reader an idea of Tommy's ?nerits, we will state a few of his pranks : — 

One Wednesday's market, Tommy observed a girl standing with butter to sell, who looked 
extremely innocent, and he therefore thought her a fit object to make the laughing-stock of the 
market, to his advantage. Cries, similar to those made by an infant in great distress, seemed to 
proceed from under the girl's feet : she jumped and screamed — the supposed cries of the infant 
were increased with violence — the girl was seized with fits,, very alarming — the market was cast 
into great confusion ; and the squeaking hero was conducted to the house of correction, as a 
reward for his extraordinary merits ! 

Passing one day between Nottingham and Shelford, along with a mendicant companion, Tommy 
proposed having a little fun with a waggoner that was driving a team with a load of hay. The 
screams of a child instantly seemed to proceed from the centre of the load, when the knaves 
exclaimed, cc you are murdering a child !" the man became dreadfully alarmed, and begged for 
their assistance to help to unload the hay ; but they pleaded lameness and other inability, offering, 
however, to stop with the team while the waggoner procured assistance ; he therefore flew on the 
wings of anxiety till he found some labouring men, who, on being told the circumstance, made 
equal haste to relieve the infant; nor did they discover the imposition till the waggon was empty. 
In the mean time the impostors had withdrawn, or,' doubtless, they would have borne eviden 
marks away with them of their dexterity. 

Tommy being in a public-house, in Nottingham, he observed the servant girl about to dress a 
fish : and when she was in the act of taking off the head, (formerly a usual practice previous to 
cooking,) a plaintive voice seemed to proceed from the fish's mouth, saying, " Pray dont cut my 
head off!" The girl shrieked, and, for a time, stood motionless; but, at length resuming courage, 
she made another attempt at the fish's head, when a voice, in the same plaintive tone, exclaimed, 
" What, you will cut my head off !" The girl fled, threw down the knife, and declared she 
would never dress a fish more. Another time, Tommy being in a public-house where he was not 
known, and observing the landlady preparing for tea, he thought that a favorable opportunity for 

5 A 



370 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



a little mischief; accordingly, when she mashed the tea in the pot, a sound like the croaking- of a 
toad seemed to proceed from the kettle; she, therefore, emptied both kettle and teapot; and when 
no toad was to be found, she said, she was certain that voice had proceeded from the devil. Is 
it not very probable, that the notions of witchcraft may have been very much encouraged by 
ventriloquists ?<* 

Tommy died in January, 1796 ; and a daughter, that sought respectability by industry, had 
the good sense to be ashamed of her father's course of life. 

CHARLES OLDHAM, 

Was born atGlapton, a hamlet parishing to Clifton, about the year 1727, and died in Nottingham 
in 1802, where he had resided from his boyhood ; and where, during the last fifty years of his life, 
he had been universally known by the name of Whistling Charley. It was always understood 
that Charles was an illegitimate offspring of one of the Clifton family ; and when he was of proper 
age, he was apprenticed to one Daniel Watkinson, framework-knitter, in Butt-Dyke. Being, 
however, of a very diminutive stature, and otherwise deformed, as well as being somewhat deficient 
in his mental faculties, soon after he was out of his time, he took to wearing crutches, upon which 
he paddled about the streets to excite the commiseration of the passengers. The better to obtain 
this"; by an excitement of public attention, he wore fantastic habiliments, with a grenadier's cap on 
his head, and a' scrip by his side; thus equipped, he was a constant parader of the streets and 
visitor of public-houses ; and with his whistle, which he always carried about with him, he was 
ever seeking to entertain those he approached with his inharmonious notes. He always bore with 
him a piece of a cow's horn, which, in silence, he would hold out to the company in public- 
houses for a supply of ale, and his grenadier's cap for their spare halfpence. f 



* It has been thought that ventriloquism was a natural gift: it is now known to be easy of acquirement, like the knowledge of other juggling 
tricks ; nor was a respectable man ever known to practice it, except to expose it to its merited ridicule. 

f There is a silly and very singular character now living in the town, who, like Whistling Charley, will be long remembered ; whose real name is 
Benjamin Mayo, but who is only known by the reproachful term of General Monk. This will serve to shew in what sort of estimation the name of 
that traitor and socialized barbarian is held in Nottingham ; for, because this silly creature was prone to mischievous tricks when a boy, and assumed, in 
burlesque, the functions of a commander over other boys, he must, to be' sure, be styled General Monk. Since the death of his mother his residence is 
iu St. Peter's workhouse ; and his practice, during many years, has been to go about the streets, without a hat, " regardless of wind and weather," in 
quest of any trifle he can find. But on Middleton-Mondays he appears in his element: he then collects as many children as he is able to do, and 
proceeds to every common day school in the town for the purpose of fetching out the scholars, at the head of whom be parades the streets ; and, 
notwithstanding the lameness in his hips, he exhibits pranks which excite as much entertainment as those displayed by a strolling mountebank. As a 
contrast to this, is his conduct in heading every procession of gravity or solemnity which he can get near, even those of funerals, and the Judge's going 
to church. Here you will see him with a grave countenance, his arms hanging loosely from his stooping body, while he measures his steps with the 
reo-ularity of a soldier at exercise; and every passenger will make way for the general. Several useless attempts were made to induce the general to 
work, the naming of two of which shall suffice :— The overseers sent him to turn a wheel 'for a person that ground knives, <fcc. but when lie had 
turned it one way about half an hour, he determined to turn it the other way, or give over ; and no means could be devised to induce him to alter his 
determination. On another occasion he was set to weed a flower bed in a garden ; and, when left to himself, he plucked up all the flowers and left 
the weeds. How strikingly emblematic was the conduct of this idiot, on these occasions, to the political leigiversation of his namesake, Genoral 
Monk! 



371 



CHAPTER XIII. 

LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 



A^ere it to be attempted in this chapter to illustrate every event of magnitude, which has taken 
place in Nottingham since the time in which we find it mentioned in history, it would be re-saying 
much that has been said in the progress of this work, and swelling it out with the particulars of 
most of the important events, which properly belong to the history of the country since the period 
alluded to ; because Nottingham, as a station of strength, of manufacture and trade, and of a noble 
independency of soul and of action, has stood so eminently conspicuous. We will therefore 
content ourselves with merely recording the more prominent circumstance which have taken place 
in a chronological manner, until we arrive at those events which more immediately connect 
themselves with our liberties as Englishmen. 

The intrepid resistance which Nottingham made to the cruel inroads of the Danes in the ninth 
century has already been noticed. In 1068, William the First visited Nottingham ; and in 1140, 
the town was ravaged by the Earl of Gloucester, brother to the Empress Maud, and many of the 
inhabitants were burnt in the churches, where they had fled for safety. In 1152, the castle and 
town were taken by Duke Henry, afterwards Henry the Second, at whose death, which happened 
in 1189, the castle was in the hands of Earl John, who, through his rebellion against his brother, 
Richard the First, lost the possession, but obtained it again in 1193. But when Richard had 
obtained his enlargement from the disgraceful confinement to which he had been subjected among 
the barbarous Germans, he summoned a parliament to meet at Nottingham, to judge of the 
conduct of Earl John and his accomplices, when John was deprived of his estates, and declared 
unfit to succeed to the crown ; but, in 1195, the generous Richard granted him a free pardon, and 
restored him to favor. 

In 1212, king John, according to Rapin, was bent upon a war against the Welch ; and, as if to 
put it out of the power of any man to question the baseness of his heart and the hostility of his 
intention, he ordered the twenty-eight Welch hostages to be hanged at Nottingham, where they 
had been confined ; and, at the same time and place, discharged his native troops, and engaged a 
company of foreign archers. 

In 1330, Mortimer, Earl of March, was apprehended in the queen's apartments in Nottingham 
castle, at which time her son, Edward the Third, was holding a parliament in the town. In 1357, 
a parliament was held here, when it was enacted, that whatsoever cloth-workers of Flanders or 
other foreign countries would come and reside in England, might do so peaceably, and should have 
convenient places assigned them accordingly, with certain privileges thereunto attached ; and, tliat, 



3T2 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



until they could provide for themselves, the king would be surety for what they might want. It 
was likewise enacted, that wool of English growth should not be exported ; and that none should 
wear cloth of foreign manufacture, except the king and royal family. — Is the monarch that thus 
sets an example in his own person and family of attachment to foreign over domestic manufactures, 
most worthy of a crown or an axe f 

1357. A gentleman who subscribes for this history, to whom the author is personally a 
stranger, has sent the following article, which he says he copied from Astle's Records of the Tower, 
which work, the author not having reference to, he gives the anecdote as he received it: — " There 
" is a curious record of pardon in the Tower of London granted to Cecily Ridgeway, who refusing 
" to plead guilty of murdering her husband, at Nottingham assize, A. D. 1357, was remanded 
" back to prison, and remained forty days without sustenance, for which miraculous preservation 
" she obtained this pardon, under the great seal of England." 

In 1376, Sir Peter de la Mare, speaker of the House of Commons, was committed prisoner to 
Nottingham castle by Edward the Third, for having made Alice Pierce, the king's mistress, the 
object of his reproach for her overbearing and abandoned conduct, where he remained till the * 
beginning of the next reign. It is worthy of remark, that, about this time, a law was passed 
forbidding any common whore to wear a hood, except it was of various colours, or any fur, except 
upon garments worn the wrong side outwards. 

This infraction upon Magna Charta being suffered to pass with impunity, induced Richard the 
Second, the succeeding monarch, to root up the whole liberties of the people at one stroke, and he 
too chose Nottingham as the scene of action ; so dangerous it is for the people to wink at inroads 
being made in their liberties. 

In 1387, Richard having determined to establish arbitrary power, if possible, he therefore 
summoned his council, composed of favorites and men imbued with the worst of crimes, to meet at 
Nottingham for the furtherance of his wicked views. He summoned the judges to assist him with 
their authority, and the sheriffs of the counties and principal citizens of London to wait upon his 
orders. The judges were, Robert Tresilian, Lord Chief Justice, Robert Belknap, John Holt, 
Roger Fulthorp, William de Burgh, and John Lockton, the king's serjeant-at-law. These 
mercenary lawyers (and, notwithstanding their example, the bench is not always free from such 
like) these worst of traitors drew up an instrument, and rendered it formal by their signatures, 
which declared, that the fourteen commissioners appointed by the preceding parliament, to control 
the public expenditure, had no right to exercise any authority, and that those who procured the 
commission merited death ; that those who attempted to abridge the roj'al prerogative were traitors; 
that the king had a right to assemble and govern parliaments at his will, and if any member thereof 
attempted to contravene his orders, to be deemed guilty of high treason ; that the Lords and 
Commons had no right to impeach any of the judges or officers of state in parliament contrary to 
the king's will ; that the king was above the law, &c. As soon as this instrument was signed, 
Judge Belknap exclaimed, " Now I want nothing but a horse, a hurdle, and a halter to take me to 
" the gallows, which, after all, I could not possibly avoid ; for, had I not complied, I must have 
" died here ; and now that I have, I deserve to die for having betrayed my country." Richard 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 373 



commanded the sheriffs to cause such men to be returned to the ensuing parliament as he should 
name ; and likewise that they should immediately set about raising soldiers to act against the 
opposing barons and the discontented people ; and of the citizens of London he demanded money 
for the furtherance of his projects ; but the citizens and sheriffs disregarded what he said, while 
the judges were shortly after convicted of high treason for having sacrificed the liberties of the 
people to the caprice of a king. Tresilian was hanged at Tyburn, and the others were permitted 
to exist in poverty and wretchedness, until their own guilt and degradation cut asunder the thread 
of life. But, as the circumstances of this affair are to be met with in every good history of the 
country, I shall only add, that the people, headed by the patriotic barons, were more attached to 
their liberties, than to the arbitrary measures of a king, or the wicked counsels of his ministers ; 
therefore the latter failed in their plans. 

In 1392, the same thrifty monarch sent Sir William Standon, mayor of London, and William 
Mansfield and Thomas Newington, sheriffs thereof, prisoners to Nottingham, for that the city had 
refused to lend the said Richard a thousand pounds. He also removed the court of King's Bench 
to York, and the court of Chancery to Nottingham, where they remained until the Londoners had 
compromised the matter with the king, and regained their charter. In 1397, Richard summoned 
the peers of the realm to meet him at Nottingham on the 1st of August. 

In 1461, Edward the Fourth, after having had the crown conferred upon him by the public 
voice, rendezvoused at Nottingham, and collected an army to support his cause, whence he marched 
to Newark to attack the Duke of Exeter; but the latter retired at his approach, when the king- 
returned, and, according to some writers, marched hence previous to the dreadful battle of Towton, 
where nearly 36,000 men were slain. On the 31st of March, 1470, the same Edward issued 
a proclamation from his court at Nottingham, denouncing the Duke of Clarence, his brother, and 
the Earl of Warwick, traitors and rebels. In September following, Edward again hastened to 
Nottingham, to collect what army he could to act against Warwick, who had become formidable 
through the kind's numerous follies and vices. Warwick however bein«* determined to allow the 
king as little time as possible to collect means of defence, he therefore proceeded from Dartmouth 
to within two or three miles of Nottingham, in hopes of forcing the king to an immediate battle ; 
but, the latter being advised by Lord Hastings of his danger, set out the same night with a slight 
attendance and proceeded to Lynn, where he embarked for Holland, and his army submitted to 
Warwick the next morning. 

Richard the Third, during his short reign, chiefly held his court at Nottingham, whence he 
marched to meet the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry the Seventh, previous to the memorable 
battle of Market-Bosworth, which was fought on the 22d of August, 1485. And preparative to the 
battle of Stoke, which was fought on the 16th of June, 1487, in favor of the pretender, Lambert 
Simnel, Henry the Seventh held a council at Nottingham to determine upon the proper steps to 
be taken. 

In 1642, the political events of this year, and their consequent termination, add much to the 
character of Nottingham, as an important part of the kingdom ; and to the character of the 
kingdom, as an important portion of the world : they were nothing less than that of the king's 

5 B 



374 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



hoisting' the standard of war against the people ; and the people hoisting the ensigns of war against 
the king, which ended in the loss of his head, and the erection of a powerful commonwealth. — 
Charles the First arrived at Nottingham, on the 10th of July, where he attempted to strengthen 
his interest by all possible means of artifice and influence. He summoned the nobility, gentry, and 
freeholders of the county to appear before him at the castle, and to whom he made the same 
profession and protestations as he had just before made to the citizens of York ; which were, that 
he would not attempt to usurp any illegal authority; and would support them against any such 
attempts in others. But his audience were morje disposed to credit their eyesight than their 
hearing ; for, what he pledged himself not to do, they daily saw him doing; therefore he received 
more promises than substantial helps. Indeed it seems singular how Charles could expect other 
treatment from men that preferred rational liberty to oppression, for, the day after his arrival at 
Nottingham, he made known his intention of reducing- Hull by force of arms; which circumstance, 
along with another which happened about the same time, namely, the Earl of Warwick's seizing a 
ship laden with warlike stores from Holland for the king's use, left no doubt of his hostile intentions, 
notwithstanding- his professions to the contrary. A packet of letters had been seized too by Sir 
John Hotham, coming from the queen, the contents of which gave a full display of the plot then 
carrying on against the liberties of the people. And in the following September, when the Earl 
of Essex intreated the king, by various messages, to attend to the petition of parliament, which 
prayed to come to an honorable adjustment to prevent the pending miseries, he possitively refused 
to receive the petition. The treaty, began at Uxbridge, in 1644, was broken off, because the king" 
refused to comply with parliament's propositions respecting- the militia, the freedom of religious 
worship, and the distracted state of Ireland. And the treaty proposed by himself the year following-, 
when he was blocked up in Oxford,was not brought to an amicable conclusion through a timely 
discovery of his treachery; for it was proved, by letters found in Lord Digby's coach at the battle 
of Sherborne, and others found in the pocket of a mitred warrior, slain at the battle of Slig-o, that 
he was complotting- with the monstrous authors of the Irish massacre for their services to be 
directed against the people of this country ; and that the treaty set on foot was only intended as a 
sham to lull the people into false security until he should find an opportunity of applying the sword 
to their throats. Yet, this is the being that hypocrisy has canonized as a saint ! Thousands have 
been imposed upon by false colouring and false statements respecting the views and conduct of 
Charles ; hence their notions in considering him a martyr may be traced to the honorable 
sympathies of the heart; but the man that has made himself acquainted with his crimes, and then 
laments his end, certainly cannot be considered a friend to political and religious liberty.* 

Historians have not agreed respecting the precise time at which Charles erected his standard in 
support of arbitrary power, some contending that it was hoisted on the 22d of August, and others 
on the 25th ; and, as the question so immediately connects itself with Nottingham, I thought it 
worth a little inquiry. The following quotation from St. Mary's register will set the question at 
rest: — "On Monday, August 22d, 1642, king Charles set up his standard at the castle." A 

• luihe case of Felton, who killed Buckingham, Cbaries wished to revive the system of torture, to which the judges refused to assent. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 375 



maltster of this town, of the name of Samuel Lawson, stated, on the trial of Charles, that he saw 
the standard brought from the castle and set up in the Hill-close; that the king* was present; and 
that, when the standard was erected, there was a proclamation made at the sound of drums and 
trumpets. Deering, without having* seen the article in the register, very properly reconciles 
the business in the following words : — " This difference of time and place may easily be 
" reconciled by the unquestionable tradition of persons yet living, who heard their fathers say, that 
" the standard was first erected on the highest turret of the old tower ; but that after a few days, 
" people not resorting to it according to expectation, it was judged, that upon the account of the 
" castle being a garrison, where every body had not so free access to the standard as if it was 
" erected in an open place, it might be more proper to remove it out of the castle, which was 
" accordingly done on the 25th of August, into the close adjoining to the north side of the wall of 
" one of the outerward of the castle, then called the Hill-close, and afterwards for many years 
" Standard-close." 

Deering further informs us, that, as soon as the standard was erected in Hill-close, the weather 
became so tempestuous as to blow it down and prevent its re-erection for several days, which 
caused many people to consider that heaven had declared against the royal cause. And Charles 
soon found, that the standard had no more charms of enticement in the close than it had on the 
castle; for, though he was very profuse in the distribution of promises and commissions, the people 
came not near him, so that at a general muster he found his supporters consist only of eleven or 
twelve hundred men, the far greater part of whom he had brought from the north. And had the 
parliament, at this time, been as active in military affairs as they were tenacious of the people's 
liberties, Charles would either have been made prisoner, or driven almost friendless out of the 
kingdom, for they had an army of considerable comparative strength within about fifty miles of 
Nottingham. This favorable opportunity they, however, lost ; and the king left this town about 
the middle of September for Derby, Stafford, Leicester, and Shrewsbury, at the latter of which 
places he erected a mint to coin the plate into money which had been sent from the University of 
Oxford. 

In 1643, Captain Hotham, son to Sir John Hotham, the celebrated governor of Hull, was 
brought prisoner to Nottingham, being- charged with carrying on a correspondence with the 
royalists ; and, after his escape, and the protection he met with from his father at Hull, they both 
were arrested by order of parliament and conveyed to London, where they fell victims to their own 
versatility. In 1645, parliament voted a thousand pounds to the Nottingham cavalry for their 
gallant conduct at the battle of Chester. The same year the Scottish army was at Nottingham, 
whence it was ordered to the siege of Newark, where it got the king into its power, and, after th« 
surrender of Newark, marched with him to Newcastle. At this place the Scots gave up the king 
to the English commissioners appointed by parliament to receive him, consisting of the Earls of 
Pembroke and Denbigh, Lord Montague, Sir James Harrington, Sir John Holyland, Sir Walter 
Earl, Sir John Cook, Mr. Crew, and Mr. G. Brown, and received in consideration thereof two 
hundred thousand pounds, as half of the arrears due to the said army for its services. This was in 
1646, and the king was marched prisoner through Nottingham on his way to Holmby-house in 



376 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Northamptonshire!. From the time that Charles left Nottingham in 1642, to the day of his death, 
the civil authority of the town rested in the hands of a committee. 

From the death of the king- the events connected with Nottingham merit no notice here, except 
those already related under other heads, until we arrive at that epoch, the mere mention of which 
makes every patriotic heart palpitate with joy ; and in the events of which it was destined for 
Nottingham to take so conspicuous a part. The conduct of James the Second, being truly 
characteristic of a Stuart, had driven the people to the necessity of recurring to the first principles 
of political power, namely, that of choosing a government after their own liking ; and the first 
open act for revolutionizing the slate, took place at Nottingham on the 23d of November, 1688, by 
the issuing of the following declaration : — 

" We the nobility, gentry, and commonality, of these northern countries, assembled at Nottingham 
'' for the defence of the laws, religion and properties, according to the freeborn liberties and 
" privileges descended to us from our ancestors, as the undoubted birthright of the subjects of this 
e: kingdom of England, (not doubting but the infringers and invaders of our rights will represent 
' f us to the rest of the nation in the most malicious dress they can put upon us) do here unanimously 
"think it our duty to declare to the rest of our protestant fellow subjects, the grounds of our 
i( present undertaking. 

" We by innumerable grievances made sensible that the very fundamentals of our religion, 
" liberties, and properties, are about to be rooted out by a Jesuitical privy council, as it has been 
<c of late too apparent. 1st. By the king's dispensing with all the established laws at his pleasure. 
" 2d. By displacing all officers out of all offices of trust and advantage, and placing- others in their 
" room that are known papists, deservedly made incapable by the established laws of this land. — 
" 3d. By destroying the charters of most corporations in the land. 4th. B}' discouraging all 
" persons that are not papists, and preferring such as turn to popery. 5th. By displacing all 
" honest and conscientious men judges, unless they would contrary to their consciences, declare 
u that to be law which was merely arbitrary. 6th. By branding all men with the name of rebels 
" that but offered to justify the laws in a legal course against arbitrary proceedings of the king, or 
" any of his corrupt ministers. 7th. By burthening the nation with an army, to maintain the 
" violation of the rights of the subject, and by discountenancing the established religion. 8th. By 
" forbidding the subjects the benefit of petitioning, and construing them libellers, so rendering the 
ft laws a nose of wax, to serve their arbitrary ends, and many more such like, too long here to 
"• enumerate. 

'•' We being thus made sensible of the arbitrary and tyrannical government, that is by the 
tc influence of jesuistical counsels coming upon us, do unanimously declare, that not being- willing 
" to deliver our posterity over to such a condition of popery and slaver} 7 , as the aforesaid oppressions 
ie do inevitably threaten ; we will to the utmost of our power, oppose the same, by joining with the 
iC prince of Orange (whom we hope God Almighty has sent to rescue us from the oppressions 
" aforesaid) and will use our utmost endeavours for the recovery of our almost ruined laws, liberties, 
" and religion, and herein we hope all good protestant subjects, will, with their lives and fortunes, 
" be assistant to us, and not be bugbeared with the opprobrious terms of rebels, by which they 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 377 



u would affright us to become perfect slaves to their tyrannical insolences and usurpations ; for we 
" assure ourselves that no rational and unbiassed person will judge it rebellion to defend our laws 
" and religion, which all our princes have at their coronation sworn to do ; which oath, how well 
" it hath been observed of late, we desire a free parliament may have the consideration of. 

" We own it rebellion to resist a king that governs by law; and he was always accounted a 
" tyrant that made his will the law, and to resist such a one we justly esteem no rebellion, but a 
" necessary defence ; and on this consideration we doubt not of all honest men's assistance ; and 
" humbly hope for, and implore the great God's protection, who turnetli the hearts of his people 
" as pleaseth him best, it having been observed that people can never be of one mind without his 
" inspiration, which has in all ages confirmed that observation : Vox populi vox Dei. 

<: The present restoring the charters, and reversing the oppressing and unjust judgment given 
" on the fellows of Magdalen college, is plain, are but to still the people, like plumbs to children, 
" by deceiving them for a while • but if they shall by this stratagem be fooled, till this present 
" storm that threatens the papists be passed, as soon as they shall be resettled, the former oppression 
'f will be put on with greater vigour ; but we hope, in vain is the net spread in the sight of the 
" birds : For the papist old rule is, that faith is not to be kept with hereticks, as they term 
" protestants, though the popish religion is the greatest heresy : And queen Mary's so ill observing 
" her promises to the Suffolk men, that helped her to the throne, and above all the pope's dispensing 
" with the breach of oaths, treaties, or promises at his pleasure, when it makes for the holy church, 
" as they term ; these we say are such convincing reasons to hinder us from giving credit to the 
' f aforesaid mock shews of redress, that we think ourselves bound in conscience to rest on no 
u security that shall not be approved by a freely elected parliament, to whom under God we refer 
" our cause." 

Among the exalted characters that signed this Declaration were, the Earl of Devonshire, the 
Earl of Stamford, Lord Howe, Lord Delamere, and Charles Hutchinson, Esq. half brother to 
-Colonel Hutchinson, who bought the Ovvthorp estate of the Colonel's widow. Lord Delamere was 
son to Sir George Booth, whose life had been saved by the generosity of our renowned Colonel, and 
who had contributed to save the latter's life, in return, at the restoration.— Princess, afterwards 
Queen, Anne, was among the worthies at this town on the memorable occasion we are speaking of; 
she having made her escape from Whitehall for that purpose, and was conducted hither by the 
Bishop of London, the Earl of Dorset, &c. 

The following postscript to a letter, written by Edward Roberts, secretary to James, and which 
is dated the 20th of November, and directed to George Langford, Esq. mayor of this town, will 
shew the cowardly shifts a tyrant has recourse to, when he dreads the consequence of his crimes : 
it is in the following words : — '•' P. S. By the account from Salisbury, of this day's date, we are 
" informed that upon the muster of the three regiments that were drawn towards the Prince of 
" Orange, there wanted not above an hundred men ; we hear, likewise, that the Lord Delamere, 
•* with seven other lords in confederacy, are raising forces to join the Prince of Orange, and that 
" they intend to rendezvous at Nottingham, of which I thought fit to advise you, and to desire 
'- you to use all your endeavours to prevent the dissenters concurrence with them ; tjiey have 

5 C 



37 S HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



" hitherto kept themselves free, and 'tis certainly their duty and interest so to do ; it may be of 
f ' very ill consequence if the magistracy of your town countenance them; as any thing falls out 
'* worthy of communication, let me hear from you, as you shall from me, how matters go."* 

Mr. Langford saw through James's fears and hypocrisy, as he had previously seen through his 
crimes ; and, instead of attending to his intreaties, he contributed all in his power to his de- 
thronement. 

To shew the temper and disposition of the inhabitants of Nottingham at that time, we will give 
the following quotation from Deering, which every man in the British empire, and particularly 
every Nottingham man, ought to be in possession of, and hold in high veneration : — 

" There are men still living in this town who well remember, that above ten days before the 
* foregoing declaration was made public, the Duke of Devonshire., the Earl of Stamford, the Lord 
"" Howe, and other noblemen, and abundance of gentry of the county of Nottingham, resorted to this 
" town, and went to meet one another at their respective inns, daily increasing in number, and 
" continued at Nottingham till the arrival of Lord Delamere, with between 4 and 500 horse ; this 
" nobleman quartered at the Feathers inn,f whither all the rest of the noblemen and gentlemen 
'' came to meet him ; and till this time the people of the town were unacquainted with the result of 
" these frequent consultations, when the above-mentioned lord, after he had staid a while in the 
a town, having a mind to try the disposition of the populace, on a sudden ordered the trumpets to 
" sound to arms, giving out that the king's forces were within four miles of Nottingham, whereupon 
" the whole town was in alarm, multitudes who had horses mounted and accoutred themselves with 

* such arms as they had, whilst others in vast numbers on foot appeared, some with fire-locks, 
(t some with swords, some with other weapons, even pitchforks not excepted ; and being told of 
" the necessity of securing the passage over the Trent, they immediately drew all the boats that 
" then were near at hand, to the north bank of that river, and with them, and some timber and 

* boards on the wharf, with barrels and all the frames of the market-stalls, barricaded the north 

* side of the Trent. My Lord Delamere and his party, well pleased with the readiness of the 
<e people to give their assistance, his lordship sent his men and some officers to the Prince of Orange, 
" but himself, with a few officers, staid till the next day, being Saturday, which is the principal 
" market-day, when he, the Duke of Devonshire, the Lord Howe, &c. appeared at the Malt-cross, 
* f and in the face of a full market, the Lord Delamere, in a speech, declared to the people, the 
" danger their religion and liberty were in under the arbitrary proceedings of the king, and, 
" that Providence had sent his Highness the Prince of Orange, under God, to deliver them from 
" popery and slavery, for which reason, according to the prince his declaration, they were for a 
" free parliament, and hoped their concurrence ; this was seconded by a speech of the Duke of 
" Devonshire, and also of the Lord Howe, which was followed by the shouts of the people, who 
" cried out ' a free parliament ! a free parliament !' This done, Lord Delaware departed to 
" follow his troops, whilst the duke, and Lord Howe, made it known that they were for raising 



• If Roberts understood politics do better than he did composition, no wonder at his having belonged to the losing side; 
t The Feather's inn is now a private house, and stands near the top, and on the west side of Wheeler-gate. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. ^79 



" horse in defence of their libert}^ and would list such as were willing to be entertained, whereupon 
" upwards of an hundred men, who offered themselves, were entered that same day." 

How the heart gladdens with the retrospect, when we contrast the conduct of the inhabitants of 
Nottingham towards Charles, when he appealed to them in support of arbitrary power, and 
towards the above patriotic noblemen and gentlemen when they appealed to them against arbitrary 
power, and in support of the prijneval rights of man ! — they were dead to the orders of 
despotism, and alive to the calls of liberty ! — the one stunned them with its senseless clatter and 
somnolent hum, and the other roused them to generous action by its charms and its cheers ! 

Though the triumph of liberty was complete, as far as the people's right to change a bad 
o-overnment for a good one was concerned, yet in Nottingham, as in many other places, prejudice 
brooded over the embers of despotism, and in 1715, the nearly smothered flame burst forth here in 
a very remarkable manner ; for Thomas Hawksley, then mayor of the town, was committed to the 
house of correction by one of his brother magistrates, on the oath of one Mather, for having 
drank success to the pretender, an his bare knees in his own house :* he was also divested of his 
magisterial authority, and another alderman was immediately invested with the office of mayor. — 
This mad Jacobite instituted three suits against. the magistrate that signed his commitment, with 
the hope of recovering damages for false mprisonment ; but the only recompense he got was that 
of having to pocket the disgrace, and to pay the costs, which amounted to more than two thousand 
pounds. 

While Mr. Hawksley lay in durance vile he was visited by all the Jacobite quality within many 
miles, who congratulated him for having so boldly asserted the cause of their absent idol. The 
bed whereon he slept in prison was made of green damask, and the curtains belonging to it were 
afterwards partly converted into a flag, which was long after borne about by the high church party, 
as they called themselves, on public political occasions. This circumstance, however, gave a death 
blow to the influence of that party in the corporation. , 

Mr. Hawksley was a descendant of a Norman family that settled here at the conquest, and during 
a°-es followed the business of malting. His picture, as taken in his magisterial robles, was in the 
possession of his grand-nephew, the late Mr. John Hawksley, whom we have previously had 
occasion to mention : it was in a high state of preservation ; and the writer hereof, along with the 
o-entleman that possessed it and from whom these particulars were principally obtained, have often 
viewed it with a mixture of admiration and disgust. 

In 1724, in the night of the 7th of February the office of Mr. Henry Morris, town clerk, in St. 
Mary's-gate, took fire, when many original and otherwise valuable records were consumed belonging 
to the corporation. 

In 1736, during the month of May one hundred and four persons were buried in St. Mary's 
parish that had died of the small pox, and proportionate numbers died in the other two parishes. 



• Mr. Hawksley, at the time, was proprietor and occupier of a house, long known as the Eagle and Child inn, at the north-west corner of Chapel- 
bar; and, to commemorate the event, the date of the year was engraven upon one of the stones with which the building is embellished, and which is 
to be seen at the present time. 



380 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



In 1739., a spirited address to the representatives of the town was sent from the electors, 
instructing- the former to vote against placemen and pensioners sitting in the House of Commons, 
which article contained a well written description of the evils resulting to the country from such 
vermin being permitted to sit in that house, and that too contrary to a positive law passed in the 
reign of queen Anne. 

In 1745, Nottingham took but little share in supporting the government against the rebellion 
which was raised this year, under the immediate command of Charles Stuart, the pretender to the 
throne, except that of furnishing recruits for the Duke of Kingston's light horse ; three butchers 
among whom, it is said, slew fourteen of the enemy in the battle Culloden. 

From this regiment bearing the above distinctive name, it has been generally thought that it was 
raised at the expense of that nobleman ; but the following list of the principal subscribers, with 
the sums annexed, will shew the fallacy of such an opinion : — 

His Grace the Duke of Kingston ....... jglOOO 

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle - - - - - - 1000 

His Grace the Duke of Norfolk ........ 210 

Right Honorable Earl Fitzwilliam ....... 200 

Right Honorable Lord Byron _----.-. 210 

Right Honorable Lord Middleton ....... 400 

Right Honorable Lord Robert Sutton - - - - - - ' 200 

Right Honorable Lord Howe ........ 200 

Lady Howe, senior - - » - - - -- - 100 

Honorable John Mordaunt ........ 200 

Sir George Savile - - - - - - - - - . 157 10 

John Thornhaugh, Esq. ......... 157 10 

Lord Charles Cavendish . - - - ., . - . 200 

William Livinz, Esq. ......... 100 

Sir Charles Molyneux ......... 100 

Right Honorable Countess of Oxford '--.__. 200 

Abel Smith, Esq. banker, of this town, was treasurer; and the total amount of the subscription 
he received was £8526 10s. 6d. ; and, when the whole expenses of the regiment were discharged, 
there remained a balance in Mr. Smith's hands, which enabled the managers of the fund to make 
a dividend of seven shillings in the pound to the subscribers. 

In the Northampton Mercury of the 28th of October, 1745, we find the following- letter : 

" Nottingham, October 13, 1745. 

tf Last night came in here 72 carriages belonging to the artillery, 18 baggage waggons, 16 
" cannons, 2 morters, 200 mattrosses, 500 Dutch, and 200 English foot, with Wade's regiment of 
" horse complete. The artillery lay all night in the Market-place, where thousands flocked to see 
" it. This morning they set forward for the north. The horse marched with their scull-caps and 
" breastplates on, their swords new ground, and every thing in order as if they were to have 
" engaged the enemy directly." 

In 1749, a remarkable storm of hail fell in this town and neighbourhood on the 15th of May, 
wbich did considerable damage, many of the stones measuring four inches in circumference. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 381 



In 1755, the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, were first recorded as having been seen 
hereabouts. The first account we find of these meteorological phenomena is given by Matthew of 
Westminster, in the following words : — " On the first of January, 743, certain fiery streamers 
* { were seen in the air, such as men, then living, had never beheld before." We read in other 
authors of these phenomena appearing in 1574, 1707, 1716, and 1737. They were also seen 
very frequently about the beginning of the American war, when superstition converted them into 
forerunners of disastrous events. The height of these meteors from the earth has been computed 
by the Marquis Polini and M. Marian to be 464 English miles. 

Various philosophers have endeavoured to account for the appearance of these meteors ; but the 
theory presented by Dr. Franklin to the Academy of Sciences at Paris in 1779, has been the most. 
generally assented to, and which is, that these meteors spring from the action of congregated 
particles of electricity. The following extract from the Doctor's paper on this subject will tend 
to illustrate the position : — " The great quantity of vapour rising between the tropics, forms clouds, 
** which contain much electricity ; some of them fall in rain, before they come to the polar regions. 
" Every drop brings down some electricity with it ; the same is done by snow or hail, and the 
r * electricity so descending, in temperate climates, is received and imbibed by the earth. Jf the 
u clouds are not sufficiently discharged by this gradual operation, they sometimes discharge 
"" themselves suddenly by striking into the earth, where the earth is fit to receive their electricity. 
* The earth in temperate and warm climates is generally fit to receive it, being a good conductor. 

" The humidity contained in all the equatorial clouds that reach the polar regions, must there 
" be condensed,and fall in snow. The great cakes of ice that eternally cover those regions may 
" be too hard frozen to permit the electricity, descending with that snow, to enter the earth. 
<c may therefore be accumulated upon that ice. The atmosphere being heavier io 
<c regions than in the equatorial, will be lower, as well from that cause, as from the smaller effect 
"• of the centrifugal force : consequently the distance of the vacuum abov- die atmosphere will be 
** less at the poles than elsewhere, and probably much less than the di**..mce (upon the surface of the 
tc globe) extending from the pole to those latitudes in which the is so thawed as to receive 

' l and imbibe electricity. May not then the great quantity : . dectricity brought into the polar 
<f regions by the clouds, which are condensed there, and fall in snow, which electricity would enter 
*' the earth, but cannot penetrate the ice ; may it not, as a bottle overcharged, break through that 
" low atmosphere, and run along in the vacuum over the air towards the equator ; diverging as the 
« decrees of longitude enlarge ; strongly visible where densest, and becoming less visible as it 
" more diverges ; till it finds a passage to the earth in more temperate climates, or is mingled with 
<f upper air? If such an operation of nature were really performed, would it not give all the 
<f appearance of an Aurora Borealis ? And would not the Auroras become more frequent after 
" the approach of winter; not only because more visible in longer nights, but also because in 
<r summer the long presence of the sun may soften the surface of the great ice cakes, and render 
*- them conductors, by which the accumulation of electricity in the polar regions will be prevented, 
*' in this season of the year." Admitting the Doctor's hypothesis to be a just one, (and it certainly 
&ears the strongest evidence which deduction from philosophical principles can produce,) it wili 

£> D 



382 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



follow, as a natural conclusion,, that, in proportion as electric matter is borne down by elementary 
concretions upon those vast fields of ice, which occupy so large a space in the polar regions ; and, 
as they are rendered conducting 1 bodies by the heat of the sun, or repellant ones by the intensity 
of the frost, so the meteors we are speaking of will be more or less visible. 

1761. Tuesday, the 22d of September being the day appointed for the coronation of George 
the Third, and Charlotte, his consort, the inhabitants of Nottingham joined in the national festivity. 
The morning was ushered in by the ringing of bells; and at ten o'clock avast concourse of people 
attended divine service at St. Mary's, where a coronation anthem (composed by Mr. Wise the 
organist) was sung by a large choir of performers, accompanied by an excellent band of music. — 
Service being over, the company retired to the Market-place, when a large company proceeded from 
the Exchange-hall, and paraded the principal streets, with music playing and streamers waving, at 
the head of which were the mayor and aldermen in their robes, and the sheriffs, chamberlains, 
and common council in their corporate habiliments ; these were followed by the clergy, in their 
canonicals ; and these again by gentlemen of horseback, &c. The above were attended by a 
distinct company, consisting of all the woolcombers in the town, then pretty numerous, who had 
streamers and a band of music of their own. The members of this fuddling fraternity were 
uniformly dressed in Holland shirts, black breeches, white stockings, and wool wigs, with sashes 
and cockades also of wool ; and one of the order on horseback represented the famous Bishop 
Blaze in his episcopal robes ; this right reverend mimic making occasional halts to display his 
>'cal pozvers. About two o'clock the company divided into parties, some going to the inns,' 
others retiring to arbors which had been erected in the streets for the purpose of 
.cent; collections having been made among the wealthy with which to regale the 
indigen veral sheep were roasted whole on the occasion. At night the town was 

spic umin: ted, and there was an exhibition of fire-works in the Market-place. 

NoTTi>f, g Militia — The London Gazette of the 20th of December, 1759, contained 

an invitation, d Holies Newcastle, to the gentlemen of the county to meet at Mansfield, on the 

8th of January I wing, to receive commissions to serve as officers in the militia, then in expec- 
tation of being raised ; and also an invitation to the gentlemen of the town to meet at Nottingham 
the succeeding day for the same purpose. But the parties concerned chose to pay the conditional 
fine rather than raise the regiment, which they continued to do till the year 1775, when the 
Nottinghamshire militia were embodied. And they were first marched out of this town on 
Whit- Wednesday and Thursday, being the 10th and 11th of June, 1778, their route being for 
Hull. This regiment first beat up for recruits in this town on the 15th of June, 1809. 

In May, 1762, a framework-knitter residing in the neighbourhood, bought a piece of veal in our 
shambles, took it home, and ordered his wife to roast it for dinner by twelve o'clock, which she did 
accordingly ; but, he not coming home at the time, she set it by untouched. At four o'clock the 
husband came home and brought a beef steak, which he ordered to be dressed for his dinner, saying 
he should prefer it to the veal at that time. This order the wife also obeyed ; but, when he had eaten 
part of the steak, feeling himself unwell, he inquired what she had fryed it in, to which she 
answered, ic the veal dripping." " Then," said he, " I am a dead man ; for, having a mind to 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 383 



" poison you, I rubbed the veal over with arsenic." The wretch, in the utmost agony of body 
and mind, expired shortly afterwards. What a just retribution upon the monster that could 
deliberately plan and covertly attempt the murder of the altar-consecrated half of himself! \\ hat a 
proof of divine interposition and justice ! W hat a lesson to the vicious hearted among mankind ! 

In June, 1764, Nottingham and its vicinity were visited with the most tremendous storm of 
thunder and lightning ever remembered by l,he oldest inhabitant then living ; and the succeeding 
month was as remarkable for the heavy, and almost incessant fall of rain. But the most 
distinguished local occurrence of this year was the riot which took place at the great October fair 
about the high price of cheese, which to this day is called the great cheese riot. The farmers 
asked from twenty-eight to thirty shillings per hundred, which so exasperated the people that their 
violence burst forth like a torrent — cheeses were rolled down Wheeier-gate and Peck-lane, in, 
abundance ; many others were Carried away ; and the. mayor, in his anxiety ,to restore peace, was 
knocked down with one in the open fair. The fifteenth regiment of dragoons, or " Elliott's light 
" horse,"* were sent for ; and, by their officious and mischievous conduct, they acquired the hatred 
of Nottingham, the consequence of 'which many of them felt.: One man, William JEgglestone of 
Car-Colston, while on his duty tending the cheese (as is customary, for men to do on the part of the 
owners after the close of day) was killed on ; the spot, anid the lives of many -more. 'peaceable 
characters were endangered by the firing of a party of these cowardly savages who were, headed by 
a corporal of the name of Rouse, a native of the town. But why such a laxity of command among- 
the officers ; or whether this wretch was ordered to parade about with a few men as a measure of 
precaution, I cannot pretend to say; certain it is however, that many men were imprisoned on 
suspicion of being concerned in the riot, but who were afterwards liberated by the, magistrates, 
principally on the ground of clemency. 

In 1769, died Mrs. Butler, aged 92. It is remarkable that this lady resided, during the whole 
of her long life in Narrow-marsh, her family giving the name to a court in that street. 

1770, in April, much rejoicing took place here on account of the liberation of the celebrated 
John Wilkes, Esq. from the King's Bench prison, after the repeated prosecutions and persecutions 
he had undergone for having advocated the people's rights ; particularly in having established the 
illegality of general warrants, in a verdict which he obtained against Wood, under secretary of 
state, with £1000 damages, for entering, or causing hi house to be entered without a specific 
warrant; and by another verdict he obtained against Lord Halifax, secretary of state, with £4000 
damages, for having seized upon his papers by the same illegal means. 

Many years previous to this time, the bakers of this town had been permitted by the corporation 
to stack their oven fuel upon Tollhouse-hill,. where the Lambley hospitals, &c. now stand, which, 
fuel consisted principally of gorse. During this summer, the whole range was set on fire and 
consumed ; and, as the conflagration raged chiefly in the night, great alarm was. excited many 
miles around, till the truth was fully known. 



* It is worthy of remark, thai this, regiment wa3 formed out of the Duke of Kingston's ligbt horse in the year 1748, 



384 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



In June this year, one Dominick Lazarus walked twenty-five times round the race ground in 
ten hours and three quarters for a wager of four guineas, which was thought an extraordinary 
performance, the distance being something more than fifty miles. 

In 1777, as some workmen were digging on Siandard-hill, they found a number of human 
bones, in a high state of preservation, along with a dagger, and a piece of silver and a piece of 
copper coin, the legend on the latter of which was, Thomas Cheshire, at the King's Head, Fore- 
street, 1669, his halfpenny. By what fortuitous circumstance this token found its way into the 
sanctuary of these bones, it would be a folly now to attempt to conjecture, as from the name of 
the street upon it, it was probably issued in London. As to the bones, along with others found 
when Standard-hill was built upon, there is little doubt of their having lain there ever since the 
time when the admirable Hutchinson commanded the castle. 

1782. In the summer of this year, a boy of thirteen years of age, whose name was Thomas 
Hudson, fell from a projectment of the castle rock into one of the gardens below, without receiving 
any material injury, though he fell at least an hundred feet: he was gathering gilliflowers, which 
used to grow plentifully upon the rock. 

On the 30th of July, 1784, a catastrophe took place which caused great mourning and 
consternation : the Wilford ferry-boat was upset with eleven market-people on board, six of whom 
were drowned. 

In August, 1785, the large mace, borne before the mayor at all corporate processions, was stolen 
out of the house of the late Mr. William Howitt, (then mayor,) on Beastmarket-hill. The mace 
was suffered to hang in one of the front rooms on the ground floor, and therefore, as it could be 
seen by the common passengers, it was pointed out as an object of cupidity by two wicked and 
designing characters, one of whom was afterwards admitted evidence against the other. The 
window shutters of the room were put together during the setting-in of the evening by one of the 
depredators, as was very probably suspected, which caused them to remain unsecured in the inside, 
because the circumstance escaped the notice of the servants. Therefore the entrance was quite 
easy ; and so eager were the plunderers of their prize, that they omitted to carry off two hundred 
pounds worth of plate, which was in a cupboard near to where the mace hung. The thieves were 
detected in consequence of their not knowing how to separate the gold from the silver, after the 
whole had been melted down ; and James Shipley was subsequently convicted of the burglary, and 
was sentenced to seven years transportation ; but he made his escape from the coach which was 
conveying him to Portsmouth, and, after many adventures, made his way into France, where he 
staid till after the revolution, and then returned to Nottingham. 

In 1788, on the 12th of May a serious riot took place, on account of the high price of butchers' 
meat ; the doors and shutters in the shambles were taken into the Market-place and burnt, along 
with many of the butchers' books ; and much meat was carried away. The temperate and 
conciliatory interference of the magistrates soon put an end to these results of error and 
despair. 

The 7th of June, Lieutenant Bright, of the Nottinghamshire militia, having spent the evening 
with his brother officers, retired to his lodgings on the Long-row, when, having been in his sleeping 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 385 



room, as was supposed,, some time, suspicion arose in the house that all was not right ; and, on 
some persons entering the room, he was found in a state of insensibility and enveloped in flames, 
the misfortune having occurred, as was generally believed, from his having sat down, after he was 
undressed for bed, by which means the candle and his linen came in contact. It was remarked at 
the time, that he had recently introduced into the town the, since, universal fashion of wearing 
braces to the breeches ; and that, probably, these obstructed his disengaging himself from the 
flames. 

1791, during the summer, was played, what is called, the great cricket match, which was 
thus occasioned. A Colonel Churchill happening to be quartered here with his regiment, was 
struck with the superior activity of the Nottingham cricketplayers ; added, to which, their fame 
was already up by having won several matches. The colonel sent a challenge to the Mary-le- 
bonne club to play for a considerable sum ; which challenge being accepted, eleven noblemen and 
gentlemen, with the Earl of Winchelsea at their head, came to Nottingham to play. But, 
notwithstanding the Nottingham players excited the admiration and applause of their opponents, 
they had no chance of success, as the system of playing adopted by the Mary-le-bonne club was 
that which is now in use, and with which the Nottingham men were till then unacquainted. 

In the autumn of this year, a riot took place in Nottingham, which would scarcely have been 
worth notice, had it not been for the whimsicality of the result. Some measure being about to be 
adopted by the principal hosiers inimical to the two-needle stocking-makers, about two hundred of 
whom therefore met in the town, at an appointed time, from the neighbouring villages, some 
coming twelve or fifteen miles. When they were assembled in the Market-place, deputies were 
chosen to form a committee, and a party, consisting of four or five, was sent to wait upon Mr. 
Mark Huish, in St. James's-street, he being considered the leader and director among the hosiers. 
This circumstance drew many of the countrymen to the outside of his house and warehouse, in the 
hope of hearing " glad tidings" announced from his door; but this conduct Mr. Huish placed to 
a riotous and intimidating account, and accordingly applied to the mayor (Mr. John Fellows, who 
died the succeeding year,) for military protection. At this time a part, if not the whole, of the 
regiment then universally known by the appellation of Troopers, or Oxford Blues, lay here; a 
party of which was accordingly sent to protect Mr. Huish's person and property, a post which 
these lubberly heroes of the trencher seemed very proud of. After their arrival, the conference 
between Mr. Huish and the stocking-makers was soon ended, to the dissatisfaction of the latter ; 
and while one of the persons, who had waited upon Mr. Huish, was detailing the nature and result 
of the conference to his fellow-workmen that listened to hiin from the steps of the Malt-cross, a 
party of the blues assailed the people', thus assembled, with drawn swords, and rode over the steps 
of the cross ; the riot act having been previously read. This circumstance, though no doubt 
intended to prevent a riot, was the cause of immediately creating one ; for, though the countrymen 
were dispersed, they were joined in every direction by groups of townsmen, who ran towards the 
scene of action from curiosity ; and shouting and derision were heard on every side. Night closed 
in with settled darkness—the lamps were lighted — the troopers dashed about well-armed — 
irritation increased on both sides — the lamps in Chapel-bar were all broken — the heroes were 

5 E 



886 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



assailed with a shower of stones ; and, pursuing their flying assailants up Chapel-bar, they found 
themselves most unexpectedly arrested in their progress of victory by a waggon placed across the 
top of that street. Suffice it further to say, that a few heads and windows were broken ; and 
that the troopers ensured to themselves the hatred and contempt of the working men, both of the 
town and county, the consequences of which they felt most severely during the winter, for it was 
customary to see them icith their faces as dark coloured as their coats. At length an order 
came for their removal ; and, as the time of their going became known, and as they had to go down 
Hollow-stone, which was then very narrow, the people planted themselves on the top of the rock 
■well provided with night soil in vessels, from the privies, with which they plentifully supplied the 
troopers as they passed below. Henceforth, wherever they went, they were called the ******* 
troopers. 

We have now arrived at a period when it is necessary to detail circumstances in our local 
transactions which will require a very great share of prudence to prevent the spirit of party from 
disfiguring the fair page of the historian. Truth, however, shall be given to the utmost of my 
power in obtaining it; and if, in detailing the outrages committed against law and individual safety, 
some expressions of warmth should escape me, the reader will bear in mind, that, in order to be a 
faithful historian, it is not necessary that the man who assumes that character should give up the 
principles of patriotism and many other noble passions of the heart. 

The blaze of opinion, which sprung from the American and French revolutions, had made a 
great alteration in the political disposition of the people of England ; and no where more so than 
in Nottingham. The town was divided into two hostile parties, under the appellations of 
democrats and aristocrats ; the former considering delegated authority as the only legal power, 
and titles of nobility as so many excrescences upon the body politic which ought to be cut off; 
while the latter abandoned their rights as brother members of a community, and made 
unconditional submission to the will of the king, the nobility, and clergy the controlling article of 
their faith. Patriotism, in the natural acceptation of the word, became extinct for a time ; for the 
democrats prayed for the overthrow of the arms of royalty wherever they might be engaged, or to 
whatever kingdom or empire they might belong; and the aristocrats prayed for the destruction of 
the friends of democracy, without ever considering the cause in which they were engaged. Both 
parties were guilty of treason against the English constitution, as far as intention can constitute 
treason ; the one against the liberties of the people, and the other against the aristocrasy and the 
crown. But, however much at variance were the principles of these parties, their local practice was 
equally so ; for while the democrats sought by every persuasive means, and by the circulation of 
political pamphlets to gain proselites, (in which they were very successful) their opponents became 
proportionately angry and revengeful ; the latter of which passions manifested itself so early as 
December, 1792, when an incendiary letter was sent to Mrs. Carter, who kept the Sun inn, in 
Pelham-street, the principal resort at that time of the democrats, threatening to burn her house, 
&c. if she continued to entertain them. This letter had no other effect than that of exciting disgust 
and exertion, and the winter and spring passed with mutual recrimination and street squabbles. 

The war against the rising republic of France had now been determined on by the British 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 38f 



ministers — they dreaded the progress which republican opinions were making, because of their 
ready commixture with the principles long entertained and industriously propagated by the most 
enlightened part of the British public in favor of an equal representation of the people : they 
therefore, with William Pitt at their head, who had long been considered the champion of English 
reformists, now became the focus of a monarch ial European combination, for the purpose of stopping 
the growth of political opinions ; and the restoration to the throne of France of the long detested 
family of the Bourbons was made their sine qua non. And ministers, in order to obtain public 
opinion in favor of their project, caused the pulpits and as much of the public press as they could 
purchase and control, to teem with invectives against republicans and reformists ; with open 
declarations, except the Bourbons were restored;; u that monarchy, aristocracy, and the established 
religion of this country must all fall together. The^fallacy and iniquity of the measures being seen 
through by many most respectable characters, whose habits were those of peace, and whose political 
opinions were founded on rational liberty, and consequently on the pure principles of the English 
constitution ; they therefore, though they hitherto had not mixed in the political circles of the day, 
now saw it a duty they owed to their country and to the well being of mankind in general, to make 
a constitutional effort to stem the fatal torrent which was then flowing to break down every barrier 
of human liberty, that universal despotism might be established on their ruins. — Peace was their 

OBJECT ; AND THE GUARANTEE OF THE SACRED AND FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE, THAT ONE NATION HAS NO 
RIGHT TO INTERFERE WITH THE INTERNAL CONCERNS OF ANOTHER. [O, that the efforts of these Worthies 

had been successful ! what a mass of misery would then have been spared to the human race!] On an 
occasion of this sort, Nottingham was sure to be among the foremost of the provincial towns j and 
twenty-six gentlemen, of the description just given, signed a requisition to the mayor, calling upon 
him to further, by the constitutional means in his power, a petition from the town founded on the 
premises above named.* This conduct, by the more violent and ignorant of the war party, was 
considered little short of treason, and these patriots were secretly marked out as victims to their 
vengeance. We say, by the more violent and ignorant of the war party ; because it ought ever 
to be borne in mind, that many in this town, that, most likely, from mistaken opinions and over- 
hasty conclusions, had become advocates of the Bourbon-restoring system, were directly averse to 
the disgraceful measures pursued by the misguided and enfuriated men, that circumstances caused 
to be ranked as belonging to their party, 

The first victim marked out for sacrifice at the altar of ignorance was the late Mr. Joseph 
Oldknow, alderman, who resided at the top of the piazzas on the Long-row ; and, in August, 1793 
his house was assailed in the open day with stones, &c. by an enfuriated mob. Mr. Oldknow was 
a gentleman not to be trifled with — he remonstrated, but in vain — he told his assailants what they 
might expect as a consequence of their outrageous conduct, for which they vomited forth vollies of 



* The twenty-six gentlemen above aliuded to, subscribed the address in the following order: —John Wright — William Rawson — Thomas Rawson 
Francis Han — Samuel Statham— Roger Hunt — Thomas W. Watson— T. Smith— Charles Pennington — Francis Evans — John Fellows— John 
Thomsou — F. Wakefield — J. Hancock— Thomas llawksiey— -Robert Denison- -Thomas Oldknow— Henry Hollins— S. Huthwaite— Joseph 
Oldknow— George Coldhanv— Joseph Lowe- B Alldis — N. Clayton— W. HowiU—W. Huthwaile. 



388 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



abuse and discharged' fresh vollies of stones : he then discharged the contents of a blunderbuss 
among- them, which killed one man, and wounded six or seven, This resolute and constitutional 
proceeding of Mr. Oldknow in defence of his property and his life, had the effect of immediately 
stopping the progress of these daring violaters of the law for. a time, as no more mischief, of any 
material consequence, was committed this year, though much was in contemplation. But what a 
dreadful state had the enfuriated passions of men led them to,: when nothing short of the last 
means of self-defence, lohich an Englishman holds in right from the constitution, could convince 
these depredators of their error! And if ever the time should arrive that Englishmen shall be 
deprived of that right, they will have ceased to be any thing', except the slaves of oppression and 
the cruel and passive instruments of its vengeance; when, the sooner the name of their country is 
blotted from the list of nations, the better forUhe rest of mankind.* 

The succeeding winter, like the preceding one, passed with mutual disquietude between the 
parties ; and the spring (which unfolds scenes of peace, happiness, and love, except in the bosom 
of unsocial man,) but added to the passions of irritation. Government had proclaimed, that 
opinions hostile to monarchy were making a rapid progress among the people ; and they called 
upon those " that loved the church and king" to arm in their defence, which was done with avidity 
throughout the country. f A few of the democrats of Nottingham formed a resolution of learning 
the military discipline, and early in a morning repaired to Snenton plain for the purpose, were 
they were drilled by an experienced character ; and, for want of muskets, they used sticks, which 
were sarcastically called wooden guns. This measure, though it injured no man, was extremely 
indiscreet, considering times and circumstances; for though every Englishman is constitutionally 
considered a defender of his country, and is liable to be called upon and armed at any hour to repel 
invasion, or suppress insurrection, which naturally implies both a right and necessity of learning 
the use of arms; and though every Englishman has a right to possess fire-arms and to use them in 
defence of his person, family, and property, under any circumstances of peril ; yet, as the 
professions of the democrats were founded on the dissemination of information and maxims of self- 
defence, the measure in question was unnecessary, and also extremely impolitic, because it furnished 
their enemies with the means of charging the whole peace party with deception and dangerous 
intentions, inasmuch as some of them were learning the use of arms, without the sanction of 
government. If these men had purchased arms,, instead of wasting their time in learning their use 
when they had them not, the subsequent mischief might have been prevented ; for the ruffianly 
cowards that composed the ducking mobs took especial care not to assail those houses which they 
knew were protected with arms. The friends of war now appear to have began preparations for 



* Since the above article was prepared for (be press, I found, on re-examining a gentleman's letter to me on the subject of these outrages, the 
following memorandum: — " The town wasdisgraced by a most violent riot, on the 24th July, 1793: the bloodhounds of war were upon the hunt in 
" every direction. During these transactions, the writer of this letter was eye-witness to two young men, with ropes about their necks, in the 
" middle of a ferocious mob dragging them to the pump. He also witnessed the distribution of money among the mob from the windows of respectable 
" houses." 

f The town of Nottingham raised onetroop of yeomanry cavalry this year (1794) and the county raised three troops; the whole under the command 
•f Anthony Hardolpb Eyre, Esq. of Grove, near Retford. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 389 



a systematic renewal of the violences of the previous summer : a committee was therefore formed 
to prepare and regulate the modes of attack, and point out the objects thereof;* and the temper of 
the mob was first tried upon two countrymen, that were led into trouble under the following 
circumstances. 

The rustics of Newthorpe, like the sons of ignorance and prejudice in many other places, gave 
a display of their loyalty, by hanging, shooting, and burning a bundle of straw, &c. which they, in 
their manifest wisdom, intended to represent Thomas Paine, author of the " Rights of Man ;" 
and when night came on, and these valiant men of JVewthorpe had expended all their ammunition, 
they applied to Matthew Lindley, a shopkeeper in the hamlet, for a fresh supply, that their victory 
over the bundle of strata might be rendered more signal. With this application Mr. Lindley 
refused to comply, " because," said he, " the sun is set, and the law forbids any person to sell 
powder after that time, for fear of accidents by fire." But as these heroes were alike strangers to 
law, common sense, and common prudence, they broke Mr. Lindley's windows, and otherwise 
damaged his property. In consequence of this, he applied for legal redress, and himself and some 
of the violators of the peace, were ordered to attend before the county magistrates, on a Saturday, 
at the White Lion Inn, in Nottingham, at which place the magistrates used to meet for the 
transaction of such business as might come before them ; Mr. Lindley taking his brother Robert 
with him as a witness. Suffice it so say further, that Mr. Lindley got no redress — that himself and 
brother were forced into the centre of a lawless banditti, collected on the occasion in the inn yard, 
whose passions were inflamed by those very persons that it was expected would have been punished 
for their outrage at Newthorpe, and whose ferocity was rendered stronger by this display of 
criminal impunity — that the two destined victims were borne by the mob into the Market-place, 
under circumstances of personal injury which we need not describe; and that, while Mr. Lindley 
had the good fortune to escape into a shop on the Long Row, with the loss of one or both of his 
coat-skirtsf his brother Robert was dragged to the Exchange pump, where he was pumped upon 
as long as the mob pleased, and otherwise treated according to their notions of justice. 



* Many honorable men, of the party we are now speaking, blushing at the darkness of the deeds and the crimes thus committed, have contended 
that no such committee was ever formed, no doubt believing most sincerely the assertions thus made ; but how easy would it be for me to convince them 
©f their error, for, did not prudence and a sense of moral duty forbid it, T could name every individual of that select body, the house at which they met, 
the person among them appointed to collect money secretly, for the purpose of engaging the ruffian navigators, then employed in cutting the canal, to aid 
the. still more despicable wretches in the town, iu hunting down, ducking, destroying the property and endangering the lives of their neighbours, who 
differed with them on matters of opinion. I could also name the wretch that was employed as an agent of this committee, to engage and marshal the 
rioter*, and who was furnished with the means of distributing ale,&c. among them; he was also occasionally employed as a scribe, in which capacity 
he wrote the inflammatory hand-bill which appeared on the 1st of July, 1794, the day previous to the commencement of t he horrid scenes this year. 
I afterwards became well acquainted with one, and, I believe, the best, of this committee, who, in our neighbourly conversations, when these scenes have 
been mentioned lias often taken credit to himself for liaving informed several of tlie democrats to get out of the icay, when they had been 
selected to be ducked; though he never admitted to me tliat he was one of the committee, nor was such admission necessary, in order to the 
establishment -of the fact. 

I have, however, made up my mind on the subject : I will do my duty as an historian, in briefly relating the leading circumstances, but not a nanie 
among the aggressors shall be entered, as such, in this work ; because the preserving of those names would be a source of local enmity and strife through 
generations yet unborn, inasmuch as the descendants of the injured might occasionally upbraid the descendants of the injurersj and thus, through 
centuries, perpetuate animosity and discord— two hateful passions, which I pray to God, may, ere long, be laid id eternal sleep. 

-t This was the beginning of a system of abuse afterwards called spencering. 

5 F 



390 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



But the great effort of violence was made on the 2d of July, as will be proved from the following 
extracts from documents written on the subject. — Extract of a letter to the author from Mr. Robert 
Denison, proprietor of (he cotton mill, then standing- near Poplar-place, to the defence and 
threatened injury of which the extract alludes : — " July 2d, l/ji, a ferocious mob made an attack 
ic upon the mill and demolished the windows. A man with a young child on one arm and a 
" firebrand in his eight hand, set fire to the work-shops, which were consumed with much valuable 
" timber. The adjoining tenements were much injured by the miscreants placing fire on the stairs 
" and other parts of the houses." And again, cf The mill was defended by several young men, 
'[ most of them stocking-makers (who volunteered their services) and the three sons of the 
proprietor ; but such was the imbecility of the mayor, that he wrote to the proprietor — that 

" THERE WAS NO SECURITY FOR THE LIVES OF THE YOUNG MEN IN THE MILL, UNLESS THEY WERE 
" CONDUCTED BY A MILITARY ESCORT TO THE COMMON GAOL, IT BEING THE ONLY PLACE OF SAFETY." 

I have three briefs in my possession superscribed by Kinderley and Long, Chancery-lane, 
London, which are acknowledged by Messrs. Vaughan and Reader, and which were pleaded 
from by those gentlemen at the Lent assizes in this town in 1795, in behalf of William Marriott 
and Samuel Duckmanton, against three of the duckers, and from one of them the following extract 
is given : — " The temporizing and pusillanimous conduct of the chief magistrate and attending 
" constables contributed very much to increase the fury and confidence of the mob — we are sorry 
" to say, that it was sanctioned by men respectable for property, who ought to have known better 
" than to fan the flame of civil insurrection, but whose weak heads and bad hearts were impenetrable 
" to the sacred duty which they owed to the community and the law. The mayor was informed 
cc of the riot so early as about three o'clock in the afternoon on Wednesday the 2d July. He was 
" with the mob shortly after attended by several constables, — not endeavouring to disperse them or 
" repress their outrageous violence, but witnessing with criminal apathy the excesses which they 
" committed, and even joining them in their illegal purpose of searching for the arms which the 
" peaceable inhabitants kept for their own defence in times of similar commotions, under pretence 
" that they were procured with sinister intentions against the state. The mob continued in the 
" neighbourhood of Coalpit-lane with the chief magistrate among them till near five o'clock ; 
" during which period houses were entered and searched, windows broken, and many persons 
« d ra ooed to adjacent pumps and ditches, where they were half drowned with water, or suffocated 
" with mud, and otherwise beaten and cruelly treated; the mayor making no effort to protect them. 
"• Havin"- carried on this scene of riot, insult, and brutality in this part of the town for about three 
,r hours, without a single aggressor being apprehended, the mob went towards Pennyfoot-stile 
" with the same malevolent intentions, and searching houses, ducking, pumping, &c. were continued 
" with the same relentless, or rather increased fury." 

Many persons were ducked in the Leen and Canal, and John Relps, a highly respectable master 
stocking- maker, lost his life in consequence of the ill treatment he received on the occasion ; nor 
were the criminals punished for the murder. Posterity will scarcely believe that these monstrous 
scenes were carried on for more than a week, with a few intervals of troubled repose, while this 
Henri/ Green, this chief magistrate of a great and ancient corporate town, was within call ; nay 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 391 



,jXJJ-UL— -■II Hi ■ i» ii urn nil i urn 



he was actually a spectator of the scenes three separate days ; and bat a short distance from his 
own house one man was actually uncovered by a. fury in the shape of a zoo man, while her worthy 
associates of the other sex plied him with copious streams from a pump. A few of the common 
ruffians received a little imprisonment, and there ended the course of criminal retributive justice; 
nor was it material about punishing' the petty agents in this nefarious business — it was on the head 
of this Henry Green, this villanous mayor, that the whole weight of legal vengeance should have 
fallen. But though he escaped the punishment of man, he was marked out by the finger of heaven; 
for, from being- highly respected as a gentleman, from being- an opulent hosier, a cotton-spinner, 
and a brewer, he became in a short time alike a bankrupt in property and in fame. Though 
dwelling in a very populous town, he became as isolated as an hermit, for he was shunned both by 
the virtuous and the vicious — by the former from a principle of honor, and by the latter from 
motives of shame. He died of a broken heart when ivant and guilt haunted him like two spectres 
— and the winds of heaven dispersed his distressed and disconsolate family. Nay the foundation 
of his house was uprooted, and one of the men who had been cruelly treated through his criminal 
neglect, strewed pepper and salt upon the earth where it had stood. 

In July too, of this year, a man named Isaac Rooke, who had lately been discharged from St. 
Bartholomew's hospital, London, and was on his way to Chesterfield, was found in a close near 
Nottingham to all appearance dead. Assistance being procured, he was taken to St. Peter's 
church, for the purpose of having a coroner's inquest on the body, when as the people were about 
to leave him, one of them perceived the body to move, and upon feeling his pulse it was found very 
strong; he was then taken to a public-house, and by proper assistance was soon enabled to pursue 
his journey in apparent health. He said he was subject to fits, for which he had been bled many 
times ; and that, but a few weeks previous, he had been laid in a coffin preparative to his interment, 
where he was perceived to breathe, and thus was saved from being buried alive. He afterwards 
carried a written paper in his pocket to prevent so dreadful a catastrophe. 

In 1795, on the 18th of April, a riot took place in consequence of the high price of provisions; 
but the Nottingham troop of yeomanry, and a troop of heavy dragoons put an end to it, by seizing 
thirteen of the most active. Throsby by mistake says this riot happened on the 19th, which was 
Sunday. 

In December, died Mr. John Arnold a most eccentric character. He was possessed of a small 
independent fortune, and of a large fund of oddities and honesty ; and it is now become a bye 
word when a bet is offered, to say, "■ Who shall be Johnny Arnold," that is, who shall hold the 
stakes, as Johnny was very partial to making small bets, but would always hold the stakes himself. 

In 1796, about this time, Mr. Benjamin Darker an industrious and respectable needle-maker of 
Nottingham, built the first house of what is now called New Radford.* 

In December, D. P. Coke, Esq. M. P. for this town, presented a bill to parliament, which was 



* Few villages in England have had so rapid an increase of population as Radford, in 1794, it did not contain 1000 inhabitants, in 1S03, it returned 
according to the act of parliament 2269, in 1812, its return amounted to 3447. The ground on which New Radford now stands was, prior to Mr 
Barker's house being built, occupied principally as gardens, &c. for the use of Nottingham, 



392 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



passed in a short time, for removing causes, at the option of one of the parties, from the courts of 
certain corporate towns of which Nottingham was one, to be tried in the courts of the respective 
counties at large. The object of this bill savored too much of political party spirit not to be 
observed by the most unreflecting ; it was a blow aimed at the reputation of the body corporate, 
under an idea that they caused juries to be impannelled to try political causes inimical to the tory 
interest ; notwithstanding which, Mr. Coke afterwards declared, when interrogated on his canvas 
respecting the bill, that during the whole course of his professional life as a pleader, he had never 
found more enlightened jurors than in Nottingham. In fact they have been highly complimented 
more than once within a very few years by the judges on the bench; and the counsellors themselves 
have not unfrequently bowed to their superior investigating information. 

But such is party in the part it takes, 

That, ends to suit, it virtue's cause forsakes, 

Ennobles vice, breaks down the mounds of right, 

Or swears that night is day, or day is night. 

In 1797, the refusal of the Bank of England to pay its notes in cash in February was attended 
with the most serious consequences to Nottingham and its vicinity, by causing an immediate 
stoppage of a great number of frames for want of cash to go on with, nor could the ordinary 
business of the town be carried on, until one or both of the then banking-houses had issued out a 
quantity of seven shilling tickets. 

The calamities of the war now began to affect this town very much, in consequence of which a 
general meeting of the inhabitants was called in the market-place, on the J Oth of April, when 
John Fellows, Esq. was appointed to the chair, in which he was supported by Mr Francis 
Wakefield, of this town, and Mr. Robert Davison, of Arnold. A petition to his majesty for the 
discharge of his ministers, as the authors of all the nation's calamities, was voted unanimously and 
signed by five thousand persons. And in the same month a petition to the same effect was sent 
to his majesty by the corporate body. 

In August died at his house in Castle-gate, John Lacock Story, Esq., a well known solicitor. 
He was justly celebrated for possessing a fund of legal information, and for his volubility and 
pertinacity as a pleader in our court of sessions. 

The Canal from the river Trent to Grantham was opened this year. 

A pauper died in St. Mary's workhouse who had resided in it a considerable length of time, and 
had always been considered as belonging to the masculine gender, particularly as having been the 
reputed father of a family, but who on examination, after death had performed his task, was found 
to belong to the feminine gender, and without any of those appearances which constitute what is 
called the hermaphrodite ; in fact she was found to be a woman entire. She had formerly 
figured on the turf under the name of Jocky John, and had been a groom to Sir Harry Harper, 
and was always considered a good rider. 

In August, died Mr. George Maddock, grocer, in Chapel-bar. His body was so extremely 
corpulent as to render it necessary for his friends to have it drawn on a hurdle to Radford, his 
family place of interment. His coffin measured three feet four inches broad, and two feel three 
inches deep. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 893 



The Nottingham volunteer infantry was raised this year, They consisted of three companies, 
respectively commanded by John Stanford Elliott, Esq. lieutenant-colonel, James Hooley, Esq. 
major, and Samuel Statham, Esq. captain. There were likewise two country companies that 
acted along- with them, one called the Burton, and the other the Clifton company ; the whole under 
the command of Samuel Smith, Esq. banker, as lieutenant-colonel commandant. They were 
reputed to consist of one hundred men to each company, though the whole never amounted to five 
hundred. Their uniform was a dark blue light infantry jacket turned up with scarlet and trimmed 
with gold lace, white pantaloons, and short gaiters, a light horseman's helmet and white feathers. 
They had neither knapsacks, great coats, nor canteens ; nor were they ever taken out of the town 
on permanent duty. They were broken up in April, 1802, in consequence of the peace of Amiens, 

On the 28th of December, the thermometer stood three degrees below O at half-past eleven 
o'clock at night ; it being placed by Thomas Hancock on the Tinker's Leen bridge, four feet above 
the ground. 

1799. In the race week, died at the White Lion inn, in this town, the Right Hon. Thomas 
Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, Viscount Wentworth, &c. He arrived the evening before for the 
purpose of attending the races, supped with a good appetite and retired well to his room about 
eleven o'clock; but was found dead in bed by his servant at eight the next morning. It was 
supposed that he died in an apoplectic fit. 

1800. In April a riot took place in the Market-place about the high price of provisions, which 
the magistrates suppressed without any serious consequences. 

In August, a dancing-master charged one George Caunt, a reputable hairdresser, with stealing 
a set of window curtains from his premises when on his business ; and obtained a warrant 
for his apprehension, which was put into the hands of a constable of the name of George Ball for 
execution ; but when attempting to do his duty, Caunt lodged a pistol bullet in his heart. His death 
was not more instantaneous than the flight of the murderer, who was taken the next day at Alfreton, 
by two men who pursued him from this town by order of the magistrates. The murder was-' 
committed about twelve o'clock on Saturday night and the murderer was brought back by four 
the next day. He was desperate when taken, and attempted to commit suicide on the road, but was 
prevented ; he however determined not to survive the wreck of his fame, and in conformity to this 
resolution he died, from having taken poison, in two days after his confinement in the town gaol. 
The coroner's jury returned a verdict of felo de se, in consequence of which he was buried at the 
top of the Sand-hills near the Derby-road ; but the night following h's friends removed the body, 
and after carrying it about from place to place for several days, it was deposited in the General 
Baptist's burying-ground in Stoney-street. A handsome subscription was raised for the family of 
the unfortunate Ball. 

Notwithstanding Sunday was the last day of this month, it was marked as the commencement of 
a very serious riot. The enormous high price of provisions, particularly bread, had roused the 
vindictive spirit of the people to an almost ungovernable pitch. They began late in the evening by 
breaking the windows of a baker in Millstone-lane, and in the morning proceeded, with an increase 
of numbers, and an increase of vengeance, to treat others of the same trade in the same unwelcome^ 

3 Q 



304 niSTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



manner. Granaries were broken open at the canal -wharfs ; and it was really distressing to see 
with what famine-impelled eagerness, many a mother bore off the corn in her apron to feed her 
famished young*. The volunteer infantry were called out to do duty at those places which were 
the objects of popular fury, while the civil power and dragoons from the barracks exerted 
themselves in vain to make them desist from their purpose; for immediately on their bein«- 
dispersed in one place, they collected in another. Thus things continued till about one o'clock on 
Tuesday, the second of September, when one of the most awful storms of lightning, thunder and 
rain ever witnessed in this town, put a final end to the riot. A ball of fire struck a house in 
Parliament-strset, nearly opposite the top of the Crown-yard, took out the windows and did some 
other damage ; and at the same time one of the country yeomanry was overthrown with his horse 
by the populace in a ditch, near the Crown and Anchor, in Snenton-street ; and it must be 
confessed that they owed the preservation of their lives more to the storm, than to the clemency 
of the people*. 

In October, our corporate body unanimously voted a petition to the king, praying his majesty 
immediately to convene parliament for the purpose of taking into consideration the alarming high 
price of bread. This petition was presented to the king by the duke of Portland, who was recorder 
of the town, and lord lieutenant of the county ; and who, in the capacity of his majesty's secretary 
of state for the home department, wrote an official letter to the petitioners, in which he stated that, 
in his opinion the scarcity of grain throughout the kingdom was real, and that there was not 
sufficient corn in the granaries of the farmers and factors to meet the exigencies of the winter. 
The publication of this document, and one of a similar tendency, addressed by the same nobleman 
to the lord lieutenant of the county of Oxford, had the effect of raising the price of grain to a pitch 
unparalleled in the history of the worst times of England's sufferings. And the experience of a 
few succeeding months proved the statements of the noble duke to be false, and confirmed the 
public in their opinion, that they were made from the worst of motives. The result of these 
letters was, not only the death of thousands from absolute want, but a considerable advance in the 
rental of land which enhanced the price of corn for several years after. Many a factor during- this 
awful period kept up his corn till it was spoiled, rather than sell it at a reasonable price. 

During the latter part of the summer the corporation opened a subscription for the relief of the 
poor in the article of bread which received very considerable support from a number of wealthy 
and humane inhabitants; but by none so much as by Messrs. Davison and Hawksley, of Arnold. 
They supplied an immense quantity of corn, considerably below the price they had given for it, 
for the use of their own work-people. And what is very remarkable, when the corn was thus 
obtained to supply the poor with bread, which they could not otherwise obtain for money, there 
was neither wind nor water to grind it. These two worthy gentlemen remedied this 
misfortune in the operations of nature which, coupled with the machinations of man, threatened the 
most alarming consequences at this momentous crisis, for they ground the corn in their own mill 
(which was turned by the machinery of their worsted mill) and sent the flour in their own waggons 

* Tbe town rate expenses occasioned by this riot, amounted to one hundred and ninety-five pounds three shillings and threepence-halfpenny. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 395 



to Nottingham, free of all expense, which was sold at a reduced price by the corporate servants 
at the Malt-cross to the eager multitude, and thus the horrors of a famine were expelled. These 
two gentlemen, likewise took the batches of corn, of those who could raise them, from this town to 
Arnold, and ground them, and brought them back free of expense, so long as applicants could he 
found. For these benevolent and humane acts they received a tribute from thousands of hearts 
overflowing with the most grateful sensations ; and Mr. Hawksley was presented with the freedom 
of the town ; as was also Mr. Towle of Broxtow, who regularly brought corn to market, and sold 
it at a moderate price during this alarming period. 

A soup-house was opened in Goose-gate by subscription about the succeeding Christmas, where 
many poor families received a temporary and piteous relief. 

In 1801, on Easter-Tuesday, the parishioners of St. Mary's revived their long-dormant right of 
chusing a churchwarden alternately with the vicar. Mr. Charles Lambert, and Charles Mellor, 
Esq. were the candidates, and after a severe contest, the latter was elected ; he being the low-party 
candidate. During this contest some highly reprehensible irregularities were committed in the 
church. 

November 29th, Mr. Denison's cotton-mill at Pennyfoot-stile was burnt down : it was insured 
for about ,£10.000, which sum was somewhere about two-thirds of its value. 

In 1S03, on the 17th of May, the bill which authorises the magistrates of the county at large, to 
interfere with the police of the county of the town, received the royal assent. It had its origin in a 
petition presented to the House of Commons, on the 24th of November, the preceding year, on the 
part of Daniel Parker Coke, Esq. ; who complained that the return to parliament of Joseph Birch 
Esq., of Hazle Hall, in the county of Lancaster, and his own consequent disappointment, were 
occasioned by the corporate magistrates not doing their duty in suppressing the riotous behaviour 
of the people at the election in the preceding July.* 

The following is a copy of the above-mentioned bill, which passed the two houses, under the 
name of the " Nottingham election and police bill ;" would it not have been more proper to have 
called it the charter infringement bill ? 

Whereas of late years, many riots and disturbances of the public peace, have taken place within the town and 
county of the town of Nottingham ; and at the late election of members to serve in parliament for the said town and 
county, the freedom of such election was, by great riots and disturbances, grossly violated, and a great number of 
electors were deterred from exercising their franchise by voting at such election : And whereas the said town and 
county of the said town were formerly part of the county of Nottingham, but have been separated and made distinct 
therefrom, and exempted from the jurisdiction of the magistrates of the said county of Nottingham ; and the mayor 
and aldermen of the said town of Nottingham are justices of the peace in and for the said town and the county of the 



• It does not appear from the Journals of the House of Commons, that the merils of any election petition from Nottingham had been tried from the 
year 1701, to this time. On the 14th of February, 1701, Robert Sacheverill, Esq. petitioned against the return of George Gregory, Esq. complaining 
also of the partial conduct of Joseph Cook and William Bilby, gentlemen sheriffs, and Simuel Watkinson, Esq. the mayor, and several other persons, 
•who by corrupt and illegal means had secured to his opponent a majority on the poll. June 10th, 1701. the house agreed that Mr. Sacheverill was duly 
elected, and that Mr. Gregory's return was obtained by corrupt and illegal means. At the same time it was agreed that, the right of election for the 
town of Nottingham be in the mayor, freemen, snd freeholders of 40s. per annum, and it was also agreed that the eldest sons of freemen, by their 
birth, and the youugest sons of freemen who have served seven years apprenticeship, whether in Nottingham, or elsewhere ; and also, persons who have 
served seven years to any freeman of the towD, were well entitled to demand their freedom. 



•59G HISTOKY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



said town : And whereas the said distinct and exclusive jurisdiction has been found ineffectual for preserving the peace 
and securing the freedom of election within the said town and county of the said town ; may it therefore please your 
majesty that it may be enacted ; and be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and 
consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority 
of the same, that, from and after the passing of this act, it shall and may be lawful to and for the justices of the peace 
in and for the county of Nottingham for the time being, and they are hereby required to act as justices of the jieace 
in and for the said town and county of the said town of Nottingham ; and such justices of the peace in and for the said 
county of Nottingham, are hereby authorized and empowered to act as justices of the peace in and for the said town 
and county of the town of Nottingham, in as full and ample manner as they could or might have done, if the said town 
and county of the said town had not been made a distinct county, but had continued to all intents and purposes part 
of the said county of Nottingham, and as fully and amply to all intents and purposes whatsoever as the mayor and 
aldermen of the said town and county of the town of Nottingham, or any or either of them, as justices of the peace, 
before the passing of this act, have used and exercised within the said town and county of the said town, or any part 
thereof, any charter, law, custom, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding ; and all persons whatever, either within 
the said county of Nottingham at large, or within the said town of Nottingham and county of the said town, who may 
at any time hereafter be lawfully authorized, appointed, or required by any of the said justice or justices, as such 
justice or justices of the peace acting in and for the said town and county of the town of Nottingham by virtue of this 
act, to do any act, matter, or thing, are hereby authorized and required to act in pursuance of such authority, 
appointment, or requisition, in the same manner, and under and subject to the same pains and penalties for disobedience 
thereof, and under the same protection and privileges, as to any act, matter, or thing done or to be done in pursuance 
thereof, as if such act, matter, or thing respectively, were or had been done, or were or had been authorized, appointed, 
or required, within the said county of Nottingham at large. 

II. And whereas the ensuing election of a member to serve in parliament for the said town of Nottingham may take 
place previously to the n«xt Midsummer quarter sessions of the peace for the said county of Nottingham, by means 
whereof such persons as might, before the said ensuing election, take out their dedimus potestutum, to act as 
magistrates for the said county, could not forthwith qualify themselves to act according to the statute of the eighteenth 
year of his late majesty king George the Second, be it therefore enacted, that such persons so taking out their dedimus 
potestatem before the said ensuing election, may, and they are hereby enabled to take and subscribe the oath of 
qualification required by the said statute before any two or more magistrates of the said county ; and any two or more 
of such magistrates are hereby authorized to administer the same; and the said oath, when so taken and subscribed, 
shall be as effectual as if the same had been taken and subscribed at any general or quarter sessions of the peace for 
the said county; and the oaths of such persons so qualifying themselves, when taken and subscribed as aforesaid, shall 
be returned by the said magistrates to the clerk of the peace of the said county, and by him filed amongst the records 
of the said next Midsummer sessions.* 



* The power of parliament to enact as above enacted, the writer of these pages cannot for a moment dispute, but the interference of the county 
magistrates wit h the civil government of the. town ; brings forcibly to his recollection the two following resolutions of the court of aldermen in London 
■in the years IT 99 and IS 00. 

" Glyn, Mayor - ' — " At. a court of aldermen, held on Tuesday the 15th day of January, 1799, it was resolved That all offences committed within 
u the city of London against the public peace, by persons resident or apprehended therein, are cognizable only by the lord mayor and aldermen of this 
" city, in their capacity of justices. And that this court will consider the future interference on such occasions of the magistrates of any other place, 
•' as an infringement of the privileges of the city, and highly indecorous." 

" Co.MBR; Mayor" — ' - At a court of aldermen, held on Tuesday the 2id day of April, 1800, it was resolved unanimously. That the thanks of this 
" court be given to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, for having communicated a letter written by his lordship to Sir William Addington, Nicholas 
'• Bond, aud Richard Ford, Esqrs. complaining of the magistrates of Bow-street having improperly interfered with the magisterial duties of (lie city 
" magistrates : and also the answers returned by Mr. Ford and Mr. Bond , the former of which is perfectly satisfactory ; while this court deem Sir Win. 
" Addington's silence on the subject disrespectful to tint chief magistrate and this court." 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. - x 307 



Thus the privilege which the burgesses had enjoyed from the 15th of September, 1449, of 
being exclusively governed by the resident members of their own body, was lost through an 
electioneering squabble, being laid hold of by disappointed ambition, and coloured with the political 
animosities of the times. 

The town rate expenses for the election which commenced on the 30th of this month between 
Mr Coke and Mr. Birch, from the latter being unseated in consequence of the before-mentioned 
petition, and at which the former was returned, amounted to £1406 l?s. This was for constables 
and their staves. 

Every one that is friendly to peace and good order in society must lament the excesses which 
arise from a collision of opinions at electioneering contests — the fault however lies in the system — 
nor will any man who has any claim to impartiality deny, that Mr. Coke was ill treated at the 
election in 1802; but it is still to be lamented that he should have carried his political animosity so 
far, as to become instrumental in breaking into the sanctuary of one of those charters which have 
so long been the proud boast of the burgesses of Nottingham, and which, as one of those burgesses* 
.he had taken an oath to defend. The question is not, whether the county magistrates be partial 
or impartial — whether they exercise their authority with violence or moderation ; for there will 
generally be a mixture of good and bad men among them as well as among other aggregate bodies; 
but whether those charters ought to be supported inviolate by every burgess that has sworn in 
the name of the Almighty, to defend them at the expense of every earthly thing else he holds 
dear. Besides John Davison, Esq. the then Mayor, had defended Mr. Coke at the risk of his 
popularity among the opponents of that gentleman, and at an expense in constables amounting to 
£93 16s. lOd. which was levied upon the town. 

The county magistrates sit on the left, and the chartered ones on the right hand of the recorder 
on the bench at the quarter sessions, and in the same order with respect to thejudgeatthe assizes. 

This year a new regiment of volunteer infantry was raised, consisting of eight companies. Their 
dress was the same as the militia of the county, except the cloth, &c. being of finer quality. 

The first house erected in New Suenton.* 

1805. In January, a petition to the House of Commons was determined upon against a corn 
bill, which passed the 30th of July the preceding year. It was conducted by the writer of this, in 
conjunction with a respectable committee, and was signed by more than five thousand persons. 
The bill, according to the calculation of a committee of corn merchants, exacted from the pockets 
of the people a sum adequate to £9,493,386 annually by its effect in raising the price of corn, 
notwithstanding during the five preceding years the sum of £2,824,33? 0s. 8d. had been paid to 
foreigners in bounties for the importation of corn. Yet in the face of this, the bill in question 
offered a bounty of half-a-crown a quarter upon the exportation of wheat when the price should 
amount to forty-eight shillings a quarter and that to fifty-two ; nor could corn be imported free 
till the price at home was sixty-six shillings a quarter; and this too at a time when the great bulk 
of the open corn land was inclosing and converting into pasture land, which, according to the best 



• Snenton under the population act of 1501, made a return of 55% inhabitants ; in conform!!} to the act of 1811, the return was 9G7. 

5 II 



#98 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



calculations on the subject, reduces the quantity of food produced for human sustenance at least 
two thirds. 

Notwithstanding that some of the most respectable corn merchants in the kingdom gave their 
testimonies at the Bar of the House of Commons against the operations of this bill ; that near the 
whole of the manufacturing towns in Great Britain petitioned for its repeal at the same time, and 
that almost every member of both Houses of Parliament was individually addressed on the subject, 
yet no relief was obtained, except for Scotland, to the inhabitants of which the bill was particularly 
oppressive. 

May 15th, came on an election in St. Mary's Church, for the office of Sexton. It was warmly 
contested for several days between John Johnson and Thomas Clarkson; the former, however was 
successful ; he being highly respected for his general good demeanour, and for his kind attention 
to his aged father, who had been the preceding sexton many years.* 

In the night of the 6th of September and the two succeeding days about three thousand tons of 
hay was burnt in the upper part of our meadows, in consequence of a stack belonging to Mr. 
Richard Hooton taking fire, from being put together in an improper state. He was sued for 
damages and it cost him about £1500. 

In 1806, October 11, John Allen, Esq. mayor, and Mr. George Coldham, town-clerk, attended 
the funeral procession of the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, in London, as representatives of the 
corporation of this town, they being deputed by the common hall, to attend on that solemn occasion. 

In this year, Lieutenant Brown of the 83d regiment, a youth of seventeen on the recruiting- 
service here, was killed in a duel with Ensign Butler of the 36th, then quartered in this town. — 
On the coroner's jury returning a verdict of " wilful murder," Butler, and the two seconds, 
Hall and Wiltshire, immediately absconded ; nor does it appear that justice has yet been able to 
overtake the offenders. 

In 1807, on the 21st of April, died, the Reverend George Walker, P. R. S. and president of 
the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. He was one of the ministers of the Unitarian 
.Society, in this town, for upwards of twenty-five years, during which time, he published his 
Treatise on the Spheres ; also, one on the Conic Sections ; two volumes of Sermons, &c. He 
was well known in the political world, as a staunch supporter of the people's rights. He was a 
giant in literature, and a child in economy : his hand could grasp a world of science, but could 
never hold a shilling, if he met an object of distress. 

About this time a vestry meeting was held in the parish of St. Mary, whereat it was agreed to 
apply to parliament, for a bill to enable the parish in conjunction with that of St. Nicholas, 
to erect a house of industry, under the plausible pretext of bettering the condition of the poor, but 
in fact to make their situation as dependent and wretched as that of galley slaves. f To give even 
an outline of this bill here, would occupy too much space ; suffice it to say, that it was intended to 
take into this house the poor for twelve miles round — that there were to be a number of directors 



* Clarkson was related to the family of Willoi.ghby, of Wollaton, in this neighbourhood by a marriage; and was lineally descended by '.lie 
mother's side, from the Wood's, or Woude's. of Yorkshire, who came over with William the Conciuerer. 
+ The parishioners of St. Peter's had the good sense to keep cleir of this nefarious business. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 399 



called a corporation, who were to have the power of ordering corporal punishment, and to be 
accusers, jurors, and judges in their directorial capacity — that they were to have the power of 
sending pauper-boys to sea ; and that persons who escaped from the house a second time were to 
be deemed guilty of felony and subject to transportation, if they took any of the cloa thing 
belonging to the house with them ; which could not have been avoided, except they had escaped 
in a state of nudity. 

The business of this bill was managed so adroitly, that even some of its own committee were 
strangers to its contents, nor were the public acquainted with its existence till it was on the eve of 
being read a second time in the House of Commons ; for the vestry meeting had been called with 
such apparent indifference and managed with such delicacy, that the public mind was not awakened 
tothe subject. Notwithstanding all this management, a copy of the bill found its way into the hands 
of a person who was not much in the habit of letting public grievances remain at rest. A town 
meeting was called and a highly respectable committee chosen to prepare a petition to parliament 
against the bill. The petition was presented ; but the prorogation of parliament, on the 2'7th of 
April, and its subsequent dissolution arrested its progress, independent of the prayers of those who 
felt deeply for the interests of humanity. Notwithstanding this, it would have been revived at the 
succeeding meeting of parliament, as were many other bills, thus stopt in their progress, had it not 
been otherwise opposed. 

The Rev. John (afterwards Dr.) Bristow, undertook to vindicate its principles ; when, the person 
alluded to before, replied to him in a number of printed papers, which had the effect of raisin"- the 
public indignation to the highest pitch both against the bill, its projectors and their abettors. And 
on the 18th June the most numerous vestry meeting was held by adjournment from the vestry to 
the west-end of St. Mary's church, ever remembered by the oldest man living in which the 
principles of the house of industry-bill were fully exposed, fully exploded, and totally abrogated ; 
and a string of resolutions was passed and entered in the vestry book, declaratory of the parishioners' 
sentiments and determination not to have a house of industry erected ; and thus This iniquitous 
scheme fell to the ground, never,. I hope, to be revived. This circumstance ought to teach men 
the necessity of attending closely to vestry meetings, as for want of that, matters may sometimes be 
carried highly inimical to the general interest. 

November the 4th, the Right Honorable Henry Richard Vassall Fox, Lord Holland was 
presented with the freedom of the town.* 



* Mr. George Coldham being now no more, and flattery intirely out of the question; an opportunity presents itself to the author of this work, of 
giving to the public one of the most neat and coticise speeches ever delivered on a similar occasion ; on presenting the freedom of the town to Lord 
Holland. Mr. Coldham as town clerk, addressed liis lordship in the following words :-" My Lord -The corporation of Nottingham being now 
«' assembled in common hall, to present to you the freedom of their town, and to enroll your name amongst the members of their body, desire me to 
" s*y a few words in tlieir name upon an occasion so interesting to their feelings. The common hall views in your lordships person the represem alive 
" of your late honorable relative, now, alas, no more— unhappily for this country, for Europe, and for the human race. We cannot avoid recollecting 
" with exultation, that in- the very depth of the political adversity of that great man, we aspired to dislingusli him by marks of our regard ai,d 
• : confidence ; and we remember with gratitude, that in a season of peculiar difficulty to this corporaiion, we had the singular good fortune to obtain 
" the honor of his friendship and protection. Can it then be wondered at, if having been thus circumstanced, we hastened from the gr ive of the pairim 
to bestow lb- highest mark of respect in our power upon his family ?— can it excite surprise, that for this purpose we should leok to your 1 irdshij . in 
" whom we recoguize those splendid talents, that ardeut love of civil and religious liberty, and that fearless spirit of disinterested integrity, which 
•' formed the distinguishing characteristics of our departed friend? 



400 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



In 1808, Thursday night the 1 1th of February, was one of the most tempestuous ever remembered 
in these parts. The snow was from six to twelve feet deep, and the London mail which should 
have arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, did not reach this town till one o'clock on 
Sunday afternoon. 

On Wednesday, April the 6th, Robert Calvin, a North Briton, but long a resident in this town, 
convicted at the preceding 1 assizes of making a violent assault upon two female infants, underwent 
a public exposure of one hour in a pillory, made for the purpose and erected in the centre of the 
Market-place. An exhibition of this sort had not taken place in this town for nearly seventy years. 

On Wednesday, the 7th of September, a person of the name of Tomlin was flogged in a cart in 
Nottingham park, by order of the Rev. Dr. Wylde, for robbing the fishpond gardens. It is not 
so much the novelty of the case, as a desire to set the public opinion right on the subject, which 
causes its insertion here. A clamour was raised against the doctor under a supposition, that he 
had violated the laws of our country, by dispensing- with the verdict of a jury in the summary 
punishment inflicted on this youthful depredator. This was not the case, as by an act of the 43d 
of Elizabeth, " Any one magistrate on the testimony of one witness, may order a person to be 
"whipped near the place where the robbery is committed, who is caught robbing a garden, 
" orchard, &c. or in the act of injuring of trees." — Burn's Justice.-— Wood. 

In the early part of November, all the officers, and upwards of 500 of the non-commissioned 
officers and privates of the Nottingham volunteer infantry, transferred their services into the local 
militia. The pest were disbanded. j.io i 

December the 1 1th, died Joseph Hill, tailor, in Greyhound-street. On the 25th of the preceding 
October, he received a bite from a> dog, which had been sometime confined, under a supposition 
that he had shewn some appearance of madness; but as the animal was immediately destroyed, and 
the man not discovering any symptoms of the complaint, no further notice was taken of the 
circumstance, than to heal the Wound ; but on the 9th of December, he was seized with the 
hydrophobia, and died in a most deplorable condition. 

In 1809, January the 6th, the fall of snow was so great that the mails were conveyed on 

horseback.* 

On the 6th of April, a public meeting was held in -the Guildhall in this town, to return thanks to 
G. L. Wardle, Esq. M. P. for instituting an inquiry into the conduct of the Duke' of York in the 
army as commander in chief, which was unanimously voted. 

December the 21st, the Right Honorable Henry Richard Vassall Fox Lord Holland sworn in 

recorder of this town. 

In 1810, on the 28th of May, a meeting was held in the Market-place, supposed to be attended 
by five thousand persons, when a congratulatory address was voted to Sir Francis Burdett, Baronet, 
member of parliament, for the city of Westminster, for his patriotic conduct in reprobating the 



r • .„ r A„A ,i R„„nv in the be«t wrestler present on a certain day. This year Lord 

* For upwards of a century an annual prize of one guinea was awarded at Bunny, to tne Desi vwes v ' ■ .' 

Rancliffe the oVner of the village, cadsed some obstruction to be placed in the way of the wrestlers, which not having the aesired effect, h. .Mfap, 

highlj to hi, rr,di. ordered, that the donation should in future be appropriated to the use of the oldest widow in the Village. Thus in 1810, an end 

was put to this barbarous and disgraceful practice. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 401 



conduct of the House of Commons, in a printed paper, for sending- John Gale Jones, to Newgate, 
on a supposed charge of a breach of privilege of that house ; and for the writing- of which paper 
the honorable baronet was sent to the Tower by virtue of a warrant from the speaker of the House 
of Commons, which brought on a legal investigation of several important national questions in the 
court of King's Bench. An animated petition was likewise sent from the same meeting to the 
House of Commons, praying for a reform in the representation of that house. 

In May, the fellmongers' vats by the Leen-side were destroyed finally as a nuisance, particularly 
where they lay contiguous to the road. 

On the 25th of June, ten sheep or lambs were roasted in this town, and much rejoicing took 
place in the evening, in consequence of the liberation of Sir Francis Burdett from the Tower. 

The Bowling-green made in the park. 

The Police-office and lock-up-house built in Smithy-row, on the site of an old public-house. 

In September the south east-corner of Bridlesmith-gate taken down by subscription and the road 
widened the breadth of a carriage. 

October the 28th, the New Church at Snenton first opened for divine service. 

Saturday, November the 8th, this town was visited by the most violent tempest of wind and rain 
ever remembered in these parts. The market was completely obstructed. The greater part of the 
nation felt the sad effects of this awful day. 

On the 27th of this month, a town meeting was held in the Guildhall for the purpose of rendering 1 
permanent a school, for the education of poor children, founded on the Lancasterian system, which 
was carried into effect. Mr. Lancaster was present, and spoke in a most animating manner of the 
benefits to be derived from the institution, and likewise of the patriotic and benevolent disposition 
of the inhabitants of this town, which was the theme of the people in distant parts of the kingdom. 

In 1811, on the 2d of January, a meeting was held of the mayor, aldermen, common council 
and livery of this corporation, in the council chamber of Guildhall, from whom a petition was 
transmitted to the House of Lords and one to the House of Commons, praying, that his Royal 
Highness the Prince of Wales might be constituted regent during his father's mental disorder, 
without being fettered with restrictions ; their prayers, and the prayers of a great part of the people, 
were disregarded on this occasion. 

February. Such was the reduced state of the trade of this town, that half-famished workmen, 
belonging- to almost every branch of its principal manufacture, were constrained to sweep the 
streets for a paltry support. They were employed by the overseers of St. Mary's parish, because 
the workhouse was too full to receive their families, and other employment could not be found. 

An old shop on the south side of Exchange-alley converted into a place convenient for holding 
the fire-engines. 

Some of the roofs of the caverns on the gallows-hill let down, and the ground levelled. 

On the 25th of this month, an address was voted by the mayor, aldermen, common council, and 
livery of this town to the Prince Regent, congratulating him on the disinterestedness of his having 
sacrificed his own personal feelings in taking into his hands the executive authority of the kingdom, 
during his father's mental indisposition, with such limited and fettered powers; and sympathising 

5 I 



402 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



with him on the great and many misfortunes of the nation, which they attributed to the war, the 
progress of taxation, and an obstructed commerce. 

On Monday the 11th of March, some hundreds of country framework-knitters assembled in 
Nottingham Market-place, and expressed a determination of taking vengeauce upon some of the 
hosiers, for reducing the established prices for making stockings, at a time too, when every 
principle of humanity dictated their advancement. The appearance of the civil and military 
authorities prevented any violence from being committed in the town; but at night the men retired to 
Arnold and broke sixty-three frames, chiefly belonging to a Mr. Brocksop. The mischief caught 
fire, and spread many miles around the neighbourhood ; so much so, that in the space of about 
three weeks, at least two hundred frames were broken to pieces. Several persons were taken up 
On suspicion, but conviction was rendered difficult, through the minds of the workmen being firmly 
united by their mutual sufferings ; consequently a little imprisonment was all the legal punishment 
that any one endured. 

June 21. This day, as well as several preceding and succeeding, was not only remarkable for its 
extreme coldness, but for two flights of fieldfares and one of wild ducks being seen hovering about 
the neighbourhood. At night the frost was so keen as to produce considerable quantities of ice. 

About this time, an organ was purchased by subscription among the parishioners of St. Nicholas, 
and placed in the church of that parish. 

In September, the floor, beneath where the bells stand in St. Mary's church, was let down 
several feet, and a new one erected immediately under it. This was done by order of the 
archdeacon, and in the churchwardenship of Mr. Charles Lacy and Mr. James Severn, for the 
ringers to stand upon, that the old ringing-loft might be taken down, it being offensive to the eye, 
from its situation in the very centre of the church. This latter loft rested upon supporters which 
projected from the four centre columns, or supporters of the steeple : it was erected in the rei<m 
of Queen Anne, on the following occasion : — Till this time the bells stood in the upper story of the 
steeple, and it was feared that their swinging motion would injure the fabric ; they were accordingly 
let down a story, and the next floor being too high for the ringers to do their duty, the additional 
loft was erected. 

An organ built in October, by Mr. Lincoln, of London, to be placed in St. Peter's church : it 
was paid for by subscription. 

On the 4th of November, the system of framebreaking was renewed, by an attack made on the 
house, &c. of a Mr. Hollingsworth, of Bulwell, where several frames were broken ; and from this 
time, the work of destruction was carried on with very little intermission to the end of the year. 
The desperate measures adopted by the workmen in this neighbourhood, may be truly said to have 
had a serious effect upon the repose of the whole of this county, as well as those of Derby, 
Leicester, York, and Lancaster; in as much as the system pursued by the framebreakers, or, as 
they termed themselves, luddites, was adopted by the rioters in those several counties. The 
framebreakers assumed this appellation from the circumstance of an ignorant youth, in Leicestershire, 
of the name of Ludlam, who, when ordered by his father, a framework-knitter, to square his 
needles, took a hammer and beat, them into a heap, The practice of these men was to assemble 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 403 



in parties of from six to sixty, according as circumstances required, under a supposed leader, that 
wassuied General Lucid, who had the absolute command of them, and directed their operations ; 
placing the guards, who were armed with swords, firelocks, &c. in their proper peaces, while 
those armed with hammers, axes, &c. were ordered to enter the house and demolish the frames; 
and when the work of mischief was completed, he called over the list of his men, who answered 
to a particular number, and he then gave a signal for their departure, by discharging a pistol, which 
implied that all was right. In consequence of these outrages being continued, a considerable 
military force was brought into the neighbourhood ; two of the London police magistrates, with 
some other officers, came down with a view of assisting the civil power in discovering the ringleaders; 
a considerable sum of money was also placed at the disposal of a secret committee, for the purpose 
of obtaining private information ; but in disregard of the offers of the secret committee, in contempt 
of the regent's proclamation, in defiance of the vigilance of the powers, both civil and military, 
these deluded men continued their course of devastation for several months, and at the end of 
February, 1812, it was found that no less than six hundred and twenty-four frames had been 
destroyed. 

1812. In February, the framebreaking prevention bill was introduced to the Commons, and 
in March received the royal assent. By this act, (which was to continue in force no longer than 
the 1st of March, 1814,) the breaking of a stocking or lace-frame was made death, without the 
benefit of clergy. 

At the lent assizes, seven of the framebreakers were convicted, and ordered for transportation, 
four for fourteen and three for seven years. 

In April, Mr. Trentham, a very considerable manufacturer, was shot by two ruffians, while 
standing at his own door; fortunately for his family the wound he received did not prove 
mortal ; a reward of £600 wasoffered the next day for the apprehension of the offenders, but 
without effect. This outrage, like luddism, was supposed to arise from a dispute between the 
hosiers and their workmen ; Mr. Trentham being a marked object. 

At the Lammas assizes another frame-breaker was ordered for fourteen years" transportation. 

On the 7th of September, a riot commenced which excited much apprehension among the bakers 
and floursellers, most of whom had their windows broken. On the 8th the rioters proceeded to the 
neighbouring villages, to visit the millers, &c. where they committed some trifling acts of violence, 
after which the matter subsided. The cause assigned for this disturbance was the high price of 
corn, bread, &c. &c. 

The New Church at Radford opened for divine service on the 13th of September. 

December the 28th, at a town meeting held in the Guildhall, to take into consideration the 
propriety of petitioning for peace ; it was resolved to petition all the three branches of the 
legislature for a speedy stop being put to the ravages of war. 

In 1813, November the 1st, Mr. Sadler, senior, ascended in his balloon from the Company's 
Wharf, about a quarter before three P. M. and, after an aerial voyage of about fifty-nine minutes, 
descended in the neighbourhood of Stamford, having passed over a space of about thirty-three 
miles; arid returned the next morning to Nottingham. This was the first time that any person 



404 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ascended from this town : in July, 1785, a Mr. Cracknel sent off a balloon from the forest, but, 
contrary to the expectation of the people, he did not go up with it, although he had promised so to 
do by advertisement, &c. 

On the 30th of November, great rejoicings were made in this town and its vicinity, on account 
of the successes obtained by the allied forces over the French, &c. Two bullocks, and about 
twenty sheep were roasted in different parts of the town, and in the evening was a partial 
illumination, with a display of fireworks, &c. 

1814. On the evening of the 17th of May, was exhibited a very grand display of fireworks, 
in front of the Exchange, which was kept up to a late hour of the night. 

Monday, the 6th of June, was spent in rejoicing; and the evening closed with a general 
illumination. These rejoicings were made in consequence of the defeat of the French armies, 
and the first abdication of Bonaparte. 

On the 29th of June, peace was proclaimed in the usual manner and places. 

August 23d, the first stone was laid of the new shambles and the Exchange rooms (see pages 
60 and 275). 

On the evening of October the 14th, two men were unfortunately shot in an attempt, on the part 
of the Luddites, to enter the premises of a person named Garton, at Basford; who either from 
information received, or from common measures of precaution, had planted police officers in the 
house for its protection. The first person shot was one of the framebreakers; the other was an 
inhabitant of Basford, merely a looker on, who, it since appears, the luddites conceived to be a spy 
upon their actions. Rewards to a considerable amount were offered by the Prince Regent, 
and the Lord Lieutenant of the county, for the discovery of the offenders, but without effect. 

In the spring of this year, the magistrates of the county appointed Daniel Freeth, Esq. and Mr. 
Goodacre, overseers of the poor for the supposed parish of Standard-hill, adjoining the castle, park, 
and town of Nottingham ; and in the autumn, a young woman, who was supposed to have obtained 
a settlement on Standard-hill, having been found in St. Mary's parish, in a state which justified 
the interference of the officers, she was taken with regular orders of removal, to the house of one 
of the aforesaid overseers, and by him refused admittance. Legal means were about to be 
commenced, when it was found that the appointment of overseers was in itself informal, and the 
case was permitted to drop ; however, m the spring of the following year, a new appointment was 
made, free from the blunders of the former one, and Messrs. S. Freeth and W. Stretton were 
appointed overseers. The inhabitants then deemed it necessary to take serious measures of 
defence. The extra-parochial property was divided into shares; a purse was raised from the 
proprietors of the land, and the Court of King's Bench was successfully moved for a mandamus 
against the appointing magistrates. The three parishes of Nottingham made common cause in 
support of the magistrates ; and during the following Michaelmas term the subject was at different 
times argued, and at length finally determined, "that Standard-hill, not having been proved to be 
" an ancient ville, or a ville by reputation, is not subject to the jurisdiction of magistrates in the 
" appointment of overseers ;" consequently by this decision, no settlements can be made within its 
boundaries, either by servitude, by the occupation of property, or by any other means. 



LOCAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS. 405 



The land now called Standard-hill,, (as before observed, page 375,) derives its name from the 
important national circumstance of Charles the First erecting his standard here in August, 
1642. 

In February, 1807, it was divided into thirty-two lots, intersected by four streets, named in page 
72, and sold by auction, by Mr. Gaskill, for the Duke of Newcastle. The following is extracted 
from the conditions of the sale : — " Each purchaser is to covenant, to pave and keep in repair one 
"half of the streets, so far as they respectively extend in the front, or by the side of his lot, and of 
" levelling the same ; and also to maUe a foot-pavement or causeway in the front of the house of 
H the breadth of four feet, and pave the same, and put down proper curbstones within two years 
" of the date of the conveyance ; and not to build any house upon the premises of less value than 
" £25 per annum ; and that all windows to be made therein shall be sashed, and that the premises 
" shall not at any time be converted into or used for the purpose of a manufactory, nor any 
" noxious trade whatever. And that in the above footway or causeway, no cellar or window lights 
" shall be put oui or placed; and that no necessary-house, muckhill-place, nor any outhouse 
" whatever shall be made or erected next to any of the streets." 

Standard-hill contains a little more than 9000 square yards, or about one acre, three roods, 
eighteen perches, and was sold by the yard for nearly £7000. At this time (September, 1816,) 
besides St. James's church, it has nineteen houses inhabited, a twentieth nearly finished, two 
portions of land comprising nearly five lots remaining for building upon at some future day, and its 
population is about one hundred and sixty persons. 

1815. At a town meeting, held February 27th, it was resolved to petition the two houses of 
parliament against any alteration in the then existing corn laws. This petition was signed by 
upwards of 18,000 persons. 

On the 7th of March, the members of the body corporate resolved to petition parliament against 
the proposed alteration in the corn laws. 

March the 21st, peace with America was proclaimed in the usual forms. 

In June, the publication of the Nottingham Gazette was discontinued. The author would not 
have thought this circumstance at all deserving his notice ; but having in the note, page 97, stated 
the existence of such a newspaper, he feels it his duty to mention its fall. 

August the 16th, the New Meeting-house in George-street, belonging to the Particular Baptists 
was first opened for divine service. 

In December, a new organ built by Elliott of London, was erected in the High-pavement Meeting, 
and paid for by voluntary contribution. 

The New Lancasterian School mentioned in the note page 128, as intended to be erected, was 
compleated this year. 

In 1816, at the Epiphany sessions, January the 11th, Thomas Denman, Esq. took the oaths, 
&c. as deputy recorder in the room of John Balguy, senior, Esq. who resigned. 

In the same month, Mr. John Taylor succeeded Mr. Malbon (mentioned page 126) as master of 
the High-pavement Charity School. 

5 K 



406 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



In February, two petitions to the House of Commons were resolved upon, one from the inhabitants 
at large, the other from the mayor, aldermen, and livery, both praying- for the reduction of the 
immense peace establishment, and against a renewal of the income and property tax. 

On Sunday, March the 17th, about mid-day, a very smart shock of an earthquake was felt in 
this town and neighbourhood. 

May the 24th, the first stone was laid of a new meeting-house intended to be erected in 
Parliament-street, for the use of the methodists in the new connexion. — The size, 66 feet long by 
48 feet wide. 

July the 8th, the Right Honorable Lord W. C. Bentinck was chosen to represent the county in 
parliament, in the room of the Right Honorable Lord Newark, who had succeeded to the peerage 
on the death of his father Earl Man vers. 

In the month of July, a new organ built by Elliott of London, was erected in St. James's Church, 
and paid for by voluntary contribution. 

In the same month, Mr. John Houseman Barber was chosen alderman of Mont-hall ward in the 
room of the late Mr. Bates, and Mr. Octavius Thomas Oldknow was elected to the vacancy in the 
senior council, occasioned by the above appointment, (see pages 270 and 271.) 



APPENDIX. 



THE Author of this Work feels great pleasure in giving to the public the following note, and the 
particulars therein referred to, received from a highly respectable member of the Society of Friends : — ■ 

" To the Author of the History of Nottingham. 
". As an erroneous statement of the tenets of the people called Quakers has appeared in thy 
work, (page 109, J I request thee to publish the following sketch of their peculiar principles and 
practices, as promulgated by George Fox, extracted from the Supplement to his Life by Henry 
Tuke, in his c Biographical Notices of the Members of the Society of Friends,' Volume II. 
printedfor William Alexander, York, 1815. 

" A Member of the Society of Friends. 
" Nottingham, Eighth Month 10, 1815." 

" The fundamental principle which lie was most concerned to inculcate, was the universality of 
the light, grace, or spirit of Christ, and its sufficiency to teach men all things necessary to salvation. 
Yet, while he bore testimony to this divine principle, he was far from denying- the use of other 
means for the instruction of mankind ; whether through the holy scriptures, the preaching of the 
gospel, or any other outward instruction, consistent with the christian dispensation. The principal 
use, however, of these means, he considered to be, to bring the minds of those who partook of 
them, to an acquaintance with the inward teacher, the light of Christ manifested in the heart; by 
an attention to which, the benefits of the sufferings of our blessed Redeemer came to be experienced, 
for, however they may have been charged to the contrary, George Fox and our early friends fully 
believed in the benefits to be derived from our Saviour's sufferings and death, both as a propitiation 
for the sins of mankind, and as the mediator between God and man. It was from this divine 
principle, or holy spirit, that he considered all true qualification for gospel ministry was to be 
derived, and all ministers qualified rightly to comply with the apostolic injunction : " If any man 
speak, let him speak as the oracle of God ; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which 
God giveth." This spirit he considered so sufficient for the purpose of gospel ministry, as to 
preclude the necessity for human learning, or any other acquirements, except the gifts and graces 
the holy spirit confers. This spirit he also considered sufficient to qualify for the performance of 
divine worship ; which may be performed either in silent adoration, or by public religions service, 
if any are rightly called or moved to it. As these principles tend to the subversion of those 
modes of worship and ministry, which depend on human ordination and appointment, for which 



408 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



establishments are often formed, and the expense of these imposed, not only on those who unite in 
them, but also on such as conscientiously dissent ; this part of George Fox's doctrines, subjected 
him, and his friends, to much persecution ; but their long and patient suffering under it, produced, 
at length, a mitigation of divers laws in their favor ; and, perhaps, it is not too much to say, this 

society has been, more than any other, a means of procuring the extension of religious liberty. 

The belief, that man is accountable to his Maker only for his religious opinions and practices, 
providing these do not infringe on any moral or civil obligation, early impressed the mind of this 
enlightened man ; — a principle which is now making a rapid progress in the christian world. A 
free exercise of gospel ministry, by those who were ' called of God,' was earnestly promoted by 
George Fox, ' freely ye have received, freely give/ might be considered his motto ; all established 
maintenance for ministers was disapproved by him, particularly that arising from tithes, which he 
considered not only objectionable on the general principle he had adopted, of a free ministry, but 
also on account of its reverting to the old legal system, from which the gospel of Christ had 
emancipated its true professors. The principles which have been maintained by the friends of 
George Fox, have, it is presumed,, thrown much light on this subject ; and, perhaps, will 
eventually be a means, with other co-operating causes, of removing the political, as well as 
religious, evil of tithes, from the professors of Christianity, at least in this country. The objection 
of George Fox to many of the religious forms and ceremonies in general use, was a prominent 
part of his system ; he believed, that most of these forms were unsanctioned by scripture, and 
that, by drawing men from the work of religion in the heart, they were calculated raiher to 
oppose, than to promote, true piety. The use of water baptism, in particular, he thought 
tended to divert mankind from that ' one baptism," which now saveth ;' not the putting away the 
filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God. He disapproved of all f wars 
and fightings/ conceiving them to proceed from the unmortified passions of men ; and to have no 
political necessity, if these passions were subjected to the influence of the cross of Christ, and 
regulated by the doctrines and precepts which he and his apostles taught to their followers. That 
* nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more/ is among- 
the many consoling hopes, which the spirit of prophecy holds out to the believing christian. 
Swearing, not only profane, but legal, was considered by George Fox as expressly forbidden by 
our Saviour, that he and his friends, consonant with the words of the Apostle James, entirely 
declined the use of oaths. They underwent much suffering on this account, but in this respect 
the laws are now favorable to the Society of Friends. The complimentary and flattering tides 
given to men, the addressing individuals in the plural number, and bowing, or putting off the hat 
struck him as inconsistent with the simplicity of the gospel, and with the doctrines which our 
Saviour taught. These practices, he, therefore, laid aside ; and the disuse of them by his friends 
and the plainness of their dress, and their not regulating it by the fashion of the day, continue to 
be marks of the members of this society. He early saw the necessity of establishing a christian 
discipline, by which the members of the society were employed in watching over and admonishing 
each other, when occasion required ; and those whose conduct became reproachful, and could not 
be reclaimed, were disowned, or disunited, and the society cleared of the discredit which might 



APPENDIX. 409 



otherwise attach to it. Among the peculiarities of George Fox's views, was the part he assigned to 
the female sex, so far as related to themselves, in the discipline which he had established, and in 
asserting their call, by the great head of the church, to a part in the ministry. One obvious effect 
resulting from these regulations was, to raise the sex in usefulness and importance, and consequently 
to elevate their character, both in religious and civil society ; and there is, perhaps, no society in 
which the sex is more virtuous, more respectable, or more happy. Besides the various matters 
already mentioned, this enlightened reformer, testified against those public amusements and 
diversions which are much in use among professing christians; but as there are many other 
religious people, who, in a great measure, concur with him in these respects, it may not be 
necessary to rank these among his peculiarities. His sentiments, however, and the practice of the 
society in reference to these things, may fairly be considered as exalting their moral character ; 
and when all the principles and practices propagated by this true follower of Christ, are fully taken 
into view, I believe it will be found that few, if any, have approached nearer to the standard of 
those christian precepts inculcated by our blessed redeemer, in his most excellent sermon on the 
Mount, and that no principles are better calculated to promote the happiness of man in this world, 
or more adapted to prepare him for a state of happiness in that which is to come." 

THE CASE OF WIDOW HANCOCK. 

The author readily gives insertion to the following letter, without subscribing to the full length 
of error charged therein ; for the words alluded to are, after speaking of the merits and death of 
Mr. Hancock, " The Waterwork Company too, to their eternal honor be it spoken, assigned a 
part of the engine-house for Mrs. Hancock, during her widowhood ; and directed an annual stipend 
to be paid her also," Now, if it had pleased Providence to have extended the life of Mrs. 
Hancock's son beyond her own widowhood and death, and he had continued engineer, the 
statement alluded to would have been correct; for the company had assigned her a part of the 
engine-house to reside in, and a stipend towards her support. But, it is fair to admit, that the 
words might be taken to imply a "stipend" independent of her son's salary, which, on his death, 
proved not to be the case : — 

" Nottingham, September 3d, 1816. 

"Sir. — I hope you will pardon the liberty I have taken, in correcting an error in your 
"article, " Waterworks," page 26th of the History of Nottingham, wherein you state that the 
" Waterwork Company, assigned a part of the engine-house, as an asylum, with a stipend to be 
" allowed to Mrs. Hancock, during her widowhood. As a proof you were not correct, she is 
" a widow, and at her son's decease, (who succeeded his father as engineer,) zvas obliged to 
" quit the house, ivithout a shilling ; after residing there thirty-three years. Whatever she 
" received during her son's life, was out of his salary, as that salary was never altered on her 
" account. 

To Mr. Blackncr. 

61 



410 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



EXCHANGE HALL, PUBLIC ROOMS, $c. 

Since the body of this work went to press, these rooms and the shambles adjoining have been 
brought into such a state of forwardness, as to enable the author to give the following description 
of them : — 

The first stone was laid at the south-east corner, about 10 feet below the surface of the earth 
August the 23d, 1814,* (noticed page 404,) by John Allen, Esq., who was then mayor of the town. 

The large room is after the proportion most approved of by Palladio, the famed architect, and 
of the exact size of several rooms built by him,f being 75 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high 
with an arched ceiling. The two small rooms are 22 feet 6 inches by 26 feet 2 inches, and 24 
feet high each. 

Between the centre and large room is a double gallery, the ascent to which is by a winding 
staircase from the centre room. It is supported in the large room by two Ionic columns, surmounted 
with a regular entablature and iron railing. The communication between the two galleries is by 
three doors in the partition wall, so as to form one gallery occasionally. 

The rooms are finished in a plain and neat manner with a bold cornice, and circular architraves 
over the windows and recesses resting on an impost moulding, which runs round all the rooms. — 
The walls of the large room and the east small room are panneled. 

These rooms are intended for public meetings, assemblies, transactions of public business, for 
the magistrates to hold their sittings in, and hustings for the electing members of parliament for 
the town, and are so contrived that the electors will ascend by the grand staircase, through the 
rotunda into the centre room, (which will be properly fitted up on those occasions.) After giving 
their votes they will descend through an anti-room by a staircase into the Exchange-alley. 

The grand staircase into these rooms is very noble and spacious, being 9 feet wide, and has 
three flights of stone steps, with spacious landing places between each flight, to prevent accidents. 

Under the suite of rooms are formed noble shambles, now called the Hall Shambles, to distinguish 
them from what are called the New Shambles. They are very commodious, and exceedingly well 
ventilated, having in the centre a spacious avenue 9 feet wide and 126 feet long, extending from 
the Market-place the whole length of the rooms above. There is a cross avenue about the centre, 
to communicate with what are called the New Shambles and Exchange-alley: and the whole is so- 
contrived that when compleated, they will form one vast set of shops. 

The number of shops in the Old Shambles will be twenty-five. There are three new shops 
built on the south side of the Hall Shambles, and six more are intended to be built on the site of 
the old house, west of the back staircase, in the Exchange-alley, what are now called the New 



* A brass plate let into this stone bears the following inscription " This stone was laid on Tuesday the 23d day of August, A. D. lS14 r in the 54th 
1 year of the reign of George the Third, by John Allen, Esq. mayor, of the town of Nottingham : being the first stone of a new set of 
• shambles, and suite of public rooms, under the direction of a committee appointed by the corporation, and Mr. Edward Staveley, their architect." 

JOHN ALLEN, Jim. 

CHAMBEHfcATNS. 



WILLIAM SOARS, Gent 

f In the two partition walls are folding doors, and small doors on each side. These may be thrown open and form one room of 123 feet long on 
any public occasion. 



APPENDIX. 411 



Shambles, will be pulled down and new shops erected in their place, as soon as the funds of the 
corporation will allow of its being done. 

The front of the Exchange has been very much altered, the center part has been taken down 
and rebuilt, with a projection of one foot before the old walls. Over this is a handsome stone 
pediment crowned with a good proportioned pedestal, on which stands the figure of justice. In 
the pediment the town arms, with an oak branch on one side and an olive branch on the other are 
carved in stone. A plain stone cornice runs on the pediment and wings, with a plain blocking 
course placed on it, extending from the foot of the pediment on each side. At each angle is a neat 
vase, with a good bold Gholosh ornament running round In the centre is a handsome Venetian 
window, as improved by Adams and Whyatt, which lights the large room, and is ornamented with 
two handsome Ionic columns. Above this is the clock — the dial is fixed in a stone rim or moulding 
with raffled leaves, &c. falling gracefully down the sides, and supported by a handsome truss on 
each side, resting on a plain tablet, with the date 1815, cut in Roman raised characters. 

The piazza is inclosed, and the shops brought quite to the front. A balcony supported by 
columns carrying a regular entablature and plain railing, will be brought out in front, so as to 
leave a walk eight feet clear. The whole when finished will have a very handsome appearance, 
and be an ornament to the Market-place, being all stuccoed and coloured to imitate stone. 

The front is now certainly very grand, though it must be admitted, that the architect may have 
been cramped in his design, by being under the necessity of blending old and new work together : 
the general position of the windows is the same as in the old front, except the large window in the 
centre-. 

CHARTERS. 

The following charter of Henry the Second, mentioned page 255, is supposed to be the oldest 
extant : — 

Henry, King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitain, Count of Adegavia. To th^ 
Archbishops, Bishops, Viscounts, Barons, Sheriffs, Ministers, and all our faithful subjects, 
Frenchmen and Englishmen, of all England, greeting. — Know ye that I have granted, and by 
this my charter have confirmed to the burgesses of Nottingham, all those free customs which they 
had in the time of King Henry our grandfather, namely, Tol, Theam, Infangentheof, and 
Thelonia*, from Thurmaston (supposed Thrumpton) to Newark of all persons passing the 
Trent, as fully as in our borough of Nottingham, and in the /other part in the brooke beyond 
Rempston to the water of Radford, (supposed now Retford) in Nottinghamshire. The men of 
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire ought to come to the borough of Nottingham on Friday and 
Saturday with their teams and horse-loads. No one ought to work dyed cloths within ten leagues 
in circuit of the town of Nottingham, unless within the borough of Nottingham. And if any one, 
from whencesoever he may come, shall be and remain in the borough of Nottingham, a year and 
a day, in time of peace, without molestation, no one afterwards but the king shall have jurisdiction 



s For an explanation of the terms Tol, Theam, Infatigemheof, and Tbelonia, see pages 255 and 258. 



412 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



over him. And whosoever of the burgesses shall buy land of his neighbour, and shall possess it 
for one whole year and a day, without molestation of the relations of the vender, (if such kindred 
shall be in England,) shall afterwards possess it quietly. Nor shall any one of the burgesses, 
unless criminally accused, answer to the Reeve of Nottingham, unless there shall appeara prosecutor 
for the offence. And whosoever shall remain in the borough, of whatever demesne he shall be, he 
ought to pay taxes to makdup the tribute and deficienees of the borough with the burgesses. Also 
all those who shall come to Nottingham market from the afternoon of Friday to the afternoon of 
Saturday, shall not be distrained, but for the rent paid to the king. And the passage of the 
Trent ought to be free to all navigators as far as one perch in breadth shall extend on both sides of 
the course of the water, And we will and firmly enjoin that the aforesaid burgesses shall have and 
hold the aforesaid customs well and in peace, and freely and quietly and honorably and fully, a? 
they had in the time of King Henry our father. 

These persons being zoitnesses to this grant, WILLIAM OF BRASIC. 

WILLIAM OF CAISNOW. 
WILLIAM OF LANNALES. 

RAMILPHUS being Sheriff. 

CHARTER OF HENRY THE SIXTH. 

The King to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting.— We have inspected the charter 
of his Majesty Henry, late King- of England, our father, made in these words : — " Henry, by the 
grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, to all Archbishops, Bishops, 
Abbots, Priors, Dukes, Earls, Barons, Justices, and Sheriffs, Reeves, and all his Bailiffs, and 
faithful subjects, greeting." 

We have inspected the letters patent of his Majesty Richard, late King of England, the Second 
after the Conquest, made in these words: — " Richard, by the grace of God, King of England and 
Prance, and Lord of Ireland, to all to whom these present letters patent shall come, greeting." 

We have inspected the charter of his Majesty Edward, late King of England, our grandfather, 
made in these words : — "Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and 
Duke of Aquitain, to Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, 
Reeves, and to all his Bailiffs, and faithful subjects, greeting." 

We have inspected the charter of his Majesty Edward, late King of England, our father, of happy 
memory, made in these words : — " Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of 
Ireland, and Duke of Aquitain, to Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Justices, 
Sheriffs, Reeves, Ministers, and to all his Bailiffs, and faithful subjects, greeting," 

We have inspected the charter of confirmation which his Majesty Henry, heretofore King of 
England, our grandfather, made to the burgesses of Nottingham, in these words : — " Henry, by 
the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitain, and Earl 
of Angers, to Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Reeves, 
Ministers, and to all his Bailiffs, and faithful subjects, greeting." 

We have inspected the charter of King John, our father, made to the burgesses of Nottingham, 
in these words : — "John, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of 



APPENDIX. 413 



Normandy and Aquitain, and Earl of Angers, to Archbishops, Bishops, Priors, Abbots, Earls, 
Barons, Justices, and to all his Bailiffs and faithful subjects of all England, greeting." 

Know ye then that we have granted, and by this our charter do grant to our burgesses of 
Nottingham, all those free customs which they had in the time of Kings Henry our grandfather, 
and Henry our father ; as by the charter of Henry our father doth appear (to wit) that they have 
Thol, Theam, Ixfongbthef, and Theolovia, from Thrumpton to Newark, and of all things 
passing over the Trent, in as full a manner as within the borough of Nottingham on the south, 
and on the north from the brooke beyond Rempstone to the river of Reiford and Vicker's Dike. 
That the men of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire come to the borough of Nottingham on Friday 
and Saturday, with their waggons drawn with four horses, and their horse-loads, nor shall any 
persons dye cloth, unless within the borough of Nottingham, and within ten miles thereof. And 
if any person, (in the time of peace,) whencesoever he come, and not demanded of his lord, 
continue in this borough a year and a day, no one shall afterwards have lawful claim of him, except 
the king himself. If any burgesses shall purchase land of his neighbour, and shall have 
possession thereof a year and a day, without any demand of the kindred of the seller (they being 
in England,) he shall afterwards have quiet possession of the same, nor shall he answer any charge 
before the reeve of the said borough, unless there be an accuser. And of whatever demesne a 
man be, if he abide within the borough, he shall pay the rates and contribute to make up the 
deficiencies of the same. And all who shall come to Nottingham market shall not be distrained 
from Friday evening to Saturday evening, unless for tribute due to us. And the passage of the 
river (Trent) shall be free for the purpose of navigation, one perch on each side the water. And 
we furthermore, of our own proper gift, and by this our charter, do confirm to our said burgesses, 
a merchant-guild, with all the privileges and free customs incident, and that do pertain thereto ; 
and that they be free of toll throughout our land, as well in as out of marts, and that they have 
power of themselves, at the end of the year, from among themselves, to appoint a reeve to answer 
for them the tribute due to us. Nevertheless, if such reeve be displeasing to us, we shall remove 
him, and they must appoint another in his stead, agreeable to our will. And we have likewise 
o-ranted to the said burgesses, that such reeve, so appointed, shall pay our tribute of the said 
borough into our exchequer, wherever it be in England, at two terms, (to wit.) one-half at the 
close of Easter, the other at the octave of St. Michael : — Wherefore it is our pleasure, and we do 
strictly command, that the burgesses aforesaid truly, honorably, quietly, and peaceably enjoy the 
same, in as full and ample manner as in the time of Henry our grandfather, and Henry our father, 
together with such other privileges as we have granted : — And we furthermore forbid any one to 
interfere with, or presume to molest the said burgesses in any manner contrary to the meaning and 
intent of this our charter, under the penalty of forfeiting ten pounds, as we by our reasonable 
charter have granted and confirmed to them when Earl of Morton. 

Witness, G. SON OF PETER, EARL OF ESSEX. "W\ DE STUDWELL. 

W. BREVERE. HENRY DE NEVILL. 

HUGO BARD. S. DE PATER. 

B. SON OF ROGER, G. DE NORFOLK. 

5M 



41-1 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Given under the hands of 

SIMON, ARCHDEACON OF WELLS. 
JOHN DE GREY, ARCHDEACON OF CLIVELAND. 
At CKpston, the nineteenth day of March, in the first year of our reign. 

And these gifts and donations being agreeable to us, we do for ourselves and our heirs ratify and 
confirm the same to the burgesses aforesaid, And we have, of our own proper gift, granted, and 
by this our charter confirmed, for ourself and our heirs, to the said burgesses and their heirs, that 
they pay the said tribute of fifty-two pounds a year, on two terms, into our Exchequer, (to wit) 
seventy-six pounds (blanch) at the close of Easter, and twenty-six pounds (blanch) at the octave 
of St. Michael ; and that they and their heirs hold the said town of Nottingham by the said rent 
of fifty-two pounds as aforesaid. We also, for ourself and our heirs, have granted to the said 
burgesses and their heirs, that they take tonnage of all merchandize of weight within the said town 
of Nottingham, as is customary to be taken in other towns and cities throughout England. And 
that they have coroners from among themselves in the said town of Nottingham. And we will 
and strictly command, that the burgesses aforesaid have and hold, of our own proper gift, well, 
peaceably, freely, and quietly, the liberties, usages, and customs aforesaid, (to wit) that they pay 
every year into our Exchequer, the said fifty-two pounds (blanch) that they and their heirs hold 
the said town by the tribute of the said fifty-two pounds (blanch), that they take tonnage as afore- 
said, and have coroners from among themselves, in the said town of Nottingham, as aforesaid. 
Witness, J. BATH. 

R. DURHAM. 
W. CARLISLE. 

H. DE BURGH, EARL HAUC, CHIEF JUSTICE OF ENGLAND. 
HUGO DE NEVILL. 
GALFRED DE LUCY. 
STEPHEN DE SEDGRAVE. 
RALPH, SON OF NICHOLAS DE CAPELLA. 
HEN. DE CAPELLA, AND OTHERS. 
Given under the hand of the Right Reverend Father R. Cicester, bishop, our Chancellor, at 
"Westminster, the 24th day of February, in the fourteenth year of our reign. 

We have also inspected a certain other charter which our said grandfather made to the said 
burgesses in these words : — 

*' Henry, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and 
Aquitain, and Earl of Angers, to all Archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, justices, 
sheriffs, reeves, ministers, and all bailiffs, and his faithful subjects, greeting." 

Know ye that we have granted, and by this our charter have confirmed to our burgesses of 
Nottingham and their heirs for ever, that they shall, throughout the whole land, and wheresoever 
we have jurisdiction, enjoy the following privileges, (to wit) that neither they nor their goods shall 
be attached for any debts for which they are not bound, or are not principal debtors; unless, as 
may be, they be of the commonalty, and are able to satisfy the same, wholly or in part, as shall be 
made reasonable to appear, justice being refused to be done to the creditors by the said burgesses. 
And we also, by this our charter, have granted and confirmed to the said burgesses, that they have 



APPENDIX. 415 

■■■■»■■■■■■■■■■— —MWMMM^t— i rf r n inin.ipiiM .jiiiiu.nL _L m 



for ever the return of all writs of summons of our Exchequer, of all things pertaining to our said 
borough of Nottingham, so that no sheriff, bailiff, or other our officer enter to execute such writs of 
summons, or make distress within our said borough, unless in default of the burgesses or bailiffs of 
the borough aforesaid: wherefore we will and strictly command, for ourselves and our heirs, that 
the said burgesses and their heirs for ever, have the liberties and prescriptions aforesaid; and we 
forbid any one, on pain of the penalty of ten pounds aforesaid, in any wise unlawfully to molest, op 
disturb them the said burgesses. 

Witness, ROGER DE PICOT, EARL OF NORFOLK, MARSHAL OF ENGLAND. 

RALPH, SON OF N. DE LESSINGHAM . 

JOHN DE LESSINGHAM. 

RICHARD DE GREY. 

WILLIAM DE GREY. 

IMBERT PIC *. 

WAN KELIN DE ARDEN. 

PETER EVERED. 

WILLIAM GERMYN, AND OTHERS. 
Given under our hand, at Nottingham, the twentieth day of July, in the thirty-ninth year of our 
reign. 

Moreover, we have inspected a charter which Edward, our father, late King of England, of 
happy memory, made to the burgesses of Nottingham in these words : — 

" Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitain ; to 
all Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs, Reeves, Officers, 
and all his Bailiffs and faithful subjects, greeting." 

Whereas we, for certain offences committed by the burgesses and commonalty of our town of 
Nottingham, under pretence of privileges of the same, have, for more than three years, taken the 
said town and liberties thereof into our .hands : — We, being desirous to confer an especial favor 
upon the said burgesses and commonalty, have restored to them the said town, with all the privileges 
which the burgesses and men thereof heretofore held, by virtue of the charters of the Kings of 
England our predecessors, by granting to the said burgesses, for ourself and our heirs, to the said 
burgesses and commonalty, to enjoy and use the said liberties in the same manner they enjoyed and 
used the same at the time of the seizure of the said town into our hands, according to the tenor of 
the charter aforesaid : — Nevertheless, that they and their successors pay, every year, into our 
exchequer, out of the said town, fifty-two pounds, as they were used to do, and the additional sum 
of eight pounds yearly. And for bettering the state of the burgesses and men of the said town, we 
have granted that they chuse, from among themselves, a mayor, which mayor (the burgesses of 
each borough being assembled) they shall unanimously and freely choose, every year, on the feast 
of St. Michael the Archangel, that he may have precedence over the bailiffs and others of the said 
town, in all things that pertain to the governing and aid of the same. And immediately after the 
election of such mayor, each borough shall chuse a bailiff, according to the custom of the said 
boroughs, who shall perform the several duties pertaining to his office. And that the said burgesses 
and their successors, besides the fair that they have for eight days on the feast of St. Matthew the 
Apostle, have forever another annual fair in the said town, to begin on the eve and day of the feast 



416 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



of St. Edmund the King and Martyr, to continue the twelve following days, unless it may prove 
detrimental to any neighbouring fair held at that time. — Wherefore we will, and strictly command 
for ourself and our heirs, that the aforesaid burgesses and men, and their successors, besides their 
fair for eight days at the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle, forever have another annual fair in the 
said town for fifteen days, on the vigil of the day and the morrow of the feast of St. Edmund the 
King and Martyr, with all the privileges and free customs appertaining to fairs of this sort, unless 
it may prove detrimental to any fairs held at that time, as aforesaid. 

Witness, R. BATH A.ND WELLS. 

A. DURHAM. 

T. DE CLARE. 

JOHN DE VESET. 

R. DE TIBITOT. 

ROBERT SON OF JOHN , AND OTHERS. 

Given under our hand at Lincoln, the 11th day of February, in the twelfth year of our reign. 
And we, being well pleased with the aforesaid grants, confirmations, and restitutions aforesaid, 
do grant and confirm the same to the burgesses, their heirs and successors, burgesses of the said 
town, as the charters aforesaid reasonably make appear. And furthermore, we have granted to 
them, for ourself and our heirs, that notwithstanding .they or their predecessors, burgesses of the 
said town, may not hitherto have used any or either of the aforesaid privileges, nevertheless that 
they, their heirs and successors, may fully use and enjoy the said privileges, or either of them, 
without let or hindrance of us, our heirs, justices, escheators, bailiffs, or other our ministers 
whatsoever. — And being moreover desirous to confer a still greater favor upon the said burgesses, 
we have, for ourself and our heirs, granted to them, for the bettering the state of our said town of 
Nottingham, for the ease of our said burgesses, and that they may be enabled the more readily to 
manage the affairs of trade, that none of them, the said burgesses, shall implead or be impleaded, 
before us or our heirs, out of the said borough, of lands or tenements which are within the same, 
or of trespasses, contracts, or of other things whatsoever, done or arising within the said 
borough ; but that all pleas of suit that shall happen to be summoned before us, our heirs, 
justices of bench, or others, out of the town aforesaid, shall be pleaded and determined 
before the mayor and bailiffs of the said borough, for the time being, within the said borough, 
unless such pleas shall concern us, our heirs, or the community of the said borough. And 
furthermore that they, the said burgesses, be not put with men not of the said borough in any 
assizes, juries, or inquests that shall happen to be made before the justices or other officers of us, 
or our heirs, on account of lands, tenements, trespasses, contracts, or any other matters whatsoever, 
not arising within the same. And that men out of the said borough be not put with the burgesses 
in any assizes, juries, or inquests, by reason of lands, tenements, trespasses, contracts, or any other 
matters whatsoever arising within the same; but that such assizes, juries, and inquests, shall be 
made by the burgesses of the said borough only, unless the matter in issue concern us, our heirs, 
or the community of the said borough. And furthermore, whereas notwithstanding our said 
burgesses, by virtue of the charters aforesaid, have the return of our writs and summonses of our 
Exchequer, in all matters pertaining to the said borough, some of our officers, and those of our 



APPENDIX. 417 



predecessors have entered the same, and made distresses and attachments which ought to have been 
made by the bailiffs of the said borough : Noiu we have granted for ourself and our heirs, that no 
sheriff, bailiff, or other officer whatsoever of us or our heirs, shall enter into the said borough to 
make summonses, attachments, distresses, or do any other duties therein, unless in default of the 
bailiffs of the said borough for the time being. We also grant, for ourself and our heirs, to the 
said burgesses, their heirs and successors, that they be for ever quit of murage, stallage, tarrage, 
kaiage, and passage, throughout all our dominions. 

Witness, W. CANTERBURY. 

W. COVENTRY AND LITCHFIFLD. 

ADAM DE VALENTIA, EARL OF PEMBROKE. 

HUMPHREY DE BOHUN, EARL OF HEREFORD AND ESSEX. 

HUGO DISPENSER. 

WILLIAM LE LATYMER. 

THEOBALD DE VERDON. 

EDMUND DE MALO LACU, STEWARD OF OUR HOUSEHOLD, AND OTHERS. 

Given under our hand, at Westminster, the sixteenth day of March, in the seventh year of our 
reign. 

And we being well pleased with the grants, confirmations, and restitutions aforesaid, as far as in 
us lies, do grant and confirm the same, for ourself and our heirs, to the said burgesses and their 
heirs and successors, burgesses of the said town, as by the said charter more fully may appear. — 
And whereas the said town of Nottingham, together with the liberties thereof, was for certain 
causes seized into our hands by our well-beloved and faithful William de Herle and his brethren 
itinerant, justices within the said county of Nottingham : — Now we being desirous to do the said 
mayor and burgesses an especial favor herein, have restored to them the said town, with all the 
liberties aforesaid, to have and hold the same to them, their heirs and successors, burgesses of the 
said town, for ever, in as full and ample a manner as by the charters aforesaid they were wont to 
hold the same, before the seizure aforesaid. And furthermore, whereas it is contained in a charter 
of our said great-grandfather King Henry, that the aforesaid burgesses and their heirs for ever, 
should have the return of all writs of summons issuing out of the Exchequer of our aforesaid great- 
grandfather and his heirs, in all things pertaining to the said borough; and that no sheriff or bailiff, 
or other officer whatsoever of our said great-grandfather or his heirs, should enter into the said 
borough to make summons, attachment, distresses, or any other duties, unless in default of the 
bailiffs of the said town — and the said burgesses and their predecessors having hitherto had the 
return of all writs of our ancestors and of us, as well of our Exchequer as of all other writs 
whatsoever pertaining to the affairs of the said town : We therefore being desirous to provide for 
the security of the said burgesses, that they may not herein suffer molestation in future, have, for 
ourself and our heirs, granted and confirmed, that they, their heirs and successors aforesaid, have 
for ever the return of all writs, as well Exchequer as others in anywise relating to the affairs of the 
said borough ; so that no sheriff, bailiff, or other officer of us or our heirs, shall enter the said 
borough to make any summonses, attachments, distresses, or do any other duties within the same, 
unless in fault of the bailiffs of the said borough. And whereas it is found upon a certain inquisition 

5N 



418 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



taken by the aforesaid William, and our beloved and faithful Nicholas Falstof, by our command, 
returned into our Chancery, that the said burgesses, time immemorial, to the time of granting the 
aforesaid charter of our ancestor King John, and since (by prescription) have had in the said town 
of Nottingham a gaol, for the custody of persons taken or attached within the said town, and that 
the said gaol was in the keeping of the persons who had the government of the said town, as well 
while in the hands of our ancestors, as in the hands of the burgesses as belonging thereto: — We 
being desirous to confer upon them an especial favor herein, and for the better security of the said 
town, have granted and by this our charter do confirm, that the said burgesses, their heirs and 
successors for ever, have the said gaol in the said town, for the custody of such persons as shall 
happen to be taken or attached for any cause whatsoever within the said town. Furthermore, 
whereas the said burgesses, under pretence of the words in the charters aforesaid, that the men of 
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire come to the said borough of Nottingham with their waggon 
and horse loads, on Friday and Saturday in every week, hold a market in the said borough, 
having regard to their security herein, we have graciously granted to them, and by this our charter 
have confirmed, that they, their heirs and successors for ever, have and hold the said market on 
Saturday in every week, together with all the privileges and free customs to a market of this kind 
appertaining, not willing that the said burgesses should be troubled, molested, or aggrieved by us, 
our heirs, or any of our officers in any respect, either in time past or time to come, on account of 
the said market. And we have granted, and by this our charter confirmed, that they, the said 
burgesses, their heirs and successors, be for ever quit of pontage throughout the land; and we 
will and strictly command for ourself and our heirs, that the said burgesses and their heirs and 
successors for ever, have and hold the aforesaid town, with all its privileges, and that they also have 
for ever the return of all writs of us and our heirs, as well the summonses of our Exchequer, as 
all other writs whatsoever, that they have the same goal and market, with all liberties and free 
customs belonging to markets of this kind, and that they be quit of pontage, as aforesaid, throughout 
our land. 

Witness, IT. LINCOLN, CHANCELLOR, 

JOHN WINCHESTER. 

R. COVENTRY AND LICHFIELD. 

JOHN DE ELTHAM, EARL CORNWALL, OUR WELL-BELOVED BROTHER, 

ROGER EARL MARCH. 

WILLIAM DE MONT. ACUT. 

JOHN MONTRAVERS, STEWARD OF OUR HOUSEHOLD, AND OTHERS. 
Given under our hand at Woodstock, the first day of May, in the fourth year of our reign. 
Now we being well pleased with the grants, confirmations, and restitutions aforesaid, do grant 
and confirm, as far as in us lies, for ourself and our heirs, to the burgesses of Nottingham and their 
heirs and successors, burgesses of the said town, as the aforesaid charters do reasonably witness, 
and as the aforesaid burgesses and their predecessors the said liberties and acquittances have 
reasonably used and enjoyed. 

Witness ourself at Westminster, the 8th day of April, in the first year of our reign. — And we 
being well pleased with all and singular the grants, confirmations, and restitutions aforesaid, do, 



APPENDIX. 419 

..^_ V - — T l l lT lil l I H II T- I I I ■■ ! ■■ 



for ourself and our heii's, as far as in us lies, accept, approve, and ratify, and do grant and confirm 
the same, to our said beloved burgesses and their successors burgesses of the said town, as the 
charters aforesaid reasonably make appear. And furthermore, being willing to confer a still 
greater favor on the said burgesses, we have, of our especial grace, for ourself and our heirs, 
granted to the said burgesses, as far as in us lies, that notwithstanding they or their predecessors 
may not on some occasions have made full use of the liberties and acquittances in the aforesaid 
charters contained,— nevertheless, that they, their heirs and successors may enjoy and use the 
liberties and acquittances aforesaid, without hindrance or molestation of us, our heirs, escheators, 
bailiffs, or other officers of us or our heirs whomsoever — Furthermore being desirous on account 
of their manifold deserts, to confer a still, greater share of our favor upon the mayor, bailiffs, and 
burgesses of the said town, their heirs and successors, we have, of our own certain knowledge, 
especial gracey and with the consent of our privy council, for ourself and our heirs, granted, and 
by this our charter do confirm, to the said mayor, bailiffs, and burges^s, that they, their heirs and 
successors, shall for ever have cognizance of all pleas, by the mayor and bailiffs of the said town 
for the time being, or such others as they shall appoint, (to wit) as well as of all lands, tenements 
and rents within the said town, as of trespasses, agreements, contracts, matters of trade, arising 
and made within the liberties and precincts of the said town, and of which persons holding of, or 
residents within the said borough shall be parties. And also of pleas of assize and tenures within 
the said liberty that shall happen to be taken, assigned, or arraigned before the justices of us or 
our heirs at the assizes for the county of Nottingham, and that the justices themselves when the 
cognizance of such pleas shall be demanded in proper form, on the part of the said mayor, bailiffs, 
and burgesses, shall accede to the same, and forthwith deliver up to the said mayor and bailiffs, or 
whom they may appoint, the said pleas, originalwrits and processes, if any such have been had. — - 
And that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, their heirs and successors, shall for ever have the 
chattels of felons and fugitives for crimes committed on or against tenants of, or residents within 
the liberties aforesaid. Or if any one ought, for any crime, to lose life or limb, or do flee to avoid 
judgment thereon, or hath been guilty of any offence for which he ought to forfeit his chattels, let 
what court soever have cognizance of such offence, our court, or that of our heirs, or any court 
whatsoever, the chattels of such felons and fugitives shall nevertheless belong to the mayor, bailiffs, 
and burgesses, and their heirs and successors : — and it shall be lawful for them and their officers, 
without any hinderance from us, our heirs, sheriffs, bailiffs, or other our officers, to seize the 
chattels aforesaid, and keep the same to the use of the said mayor, bailiffs and burgesses, and their 
heirs and successors aforesaid. And we further grant that the said mayor, bailiffs and burgesses, 
and their successors, shall for ever have all fines for trespasses, and other offences whatsoever :— 
all post-fines, amerciaments, issues of pledges forfeited and to be forfeited, year-and-day wastes, 
estrepement, and all things that could pertain to us and our heirs, of the said year-and-day 
waste, murders, men and tenements of the said town, as well such as shall be taken amerced, 
levied, and adjudged in our court of exchequer, before our justices of bench, the steward 
and marshal of the household of us and our heirs for the time being, as also before the 
justices itinerant for the trial of common pleas and pleas of the forest, or any other justice* 



420 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



or ministers belonging to us or our heirs, as well in the presence as in the absence of us 
or our heirs ; which said fines, amerciaments, issues of pledges, year-and-day wastes, estrepe- 
ments, &c. as aforesaid, would otherwise have belonged to us or our heirs, had the same 
not been granted to the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses aforesaid, and that the said mayor, 
bailiffs, and burgesses, levy and receive the said fines, amerciaments, issues, forfeitures, &c. as 
aforesaid, by themselves and ministers, without any let or hinderance of the justices, escheators* 
sheriffs, coroners, bailiffs, or other officers whatsoever belonging to us or our heirs. And we 
likewise grant that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses for ever have the return of all writs 
and summonses issuing from the exchequer of us and our heirs, and of attachments, as well 
in pleas of the crown as in all other cases whatsoever within the limits of the fee of the town 
aforesaid, and the execution of the said writs and summonses ; and that no sheriff, bailiff, or other 
officer of us or our heirs, do enter into the liberty aforesaid for the purpose of executing such writs 
and summonses, or attachments of pleas of the crown, or other attachments, or do any other duty 
there, except in default of the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, and their heirs and successors. 
And we also, for ourself and our heirs, of our own certain knowledge, and with the consent 
aforesaid, have granted to the said mayor and burgesses, and their successors, that they have all 
perprestures of lands, waters, and wastes, that now are, or hereafter may be deemed such, within 
the limits and boundaries of the town aforesaid, in support of the burthens and daily exigencies of 
the same. A.nd we have likewise granted, that they, their heirs and successors as aforesaid, have 
for ever power to hear, determine, correct, and punish (by the mayor, recorder, and four other 
good and lawful men, to be chosen by the mayor of the said town for the time being, and his 
successors for ever,) all matters, complaints, defaults, causes, and articles cognizable by justices of 
the peace, of labourers and artificers, in as full and ample manner as justices of the peace of the 
county of Nottingham have heretofore had and exercised. Moreover, that our justices of peace 
of labourers and artificers of the county aforesaid, shall not in any wise hereafter take cognizance 
of any things, causes, plaints, matters, defaults, or other articles whatsoever, belonging to such 
justices within the town aforesaid, and the jurisdiction, of the same, but nevertheless, that the 
aforesaid mayor, recorder, and four good and lawful men of the said town aforesaid, may not 
proceed to determine any felony, without special mandate of us or our heirs. And that the 
aforesaid mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, and their heirs and successors for ever, have all fines, 

issues, amerciaments, and profits awarded by the said justices; as fully as» the mayor, 

bailiffs, and burgesses of the town of Coventry have had the like, by virtue of charters of the 
Kings of England, before the sixth day of April, in the twenty-second year of the reign of the 
aforesaid late King Richard the Second, and by him ratified and confirmed. And furthermore, when 
ever hereafter an array of bowmen or light horse shall, by virtue of a commission or mandate of us 
or our heirs, be made within the said town of Nottingham, the mayor thereof, for the time being, 
shall be joined in such commission or mandate with other persons assigned by us to make such 
array, and without he be so joined, no such array shall in any wise be made. And we will and 
grant, for us and our heirs, with the consent aforesaid, that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, 
and their heirs and successors, shall not on any account be denied, restrained, diminished, or 



APPENDIX. 421 



abbreviated in the enjoyment of either or any of the franchises, liberties, privileges, immunities, 
easements, and acquittances, granted to the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the said town of 
Nottingham by our ancestors, and confirmed by us to the now mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of 
the said town: — But that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, and their successors, shall for 
ever have, hold, and exercise those franchises, liberties, privileges, immunities, easements, 
acquittances, and customs, in every respect as fully as the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the town 
of Nottingham, their predecessors, have, by grant and confirmation of our ancestors, for ever had 
and enjoyed. 

Witness, TH. CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND. 

R. EBOR, PRIMATE OF ENGLAND. 

R. LONDON. 

W. WINCHESTER. 

I. ELY. 

H. LINCOLN. 

EDMUND DUKE OF YORK, OUR BELOVED UNCLE. 

THOMAS WARWICK. 

HENRY NORTHUMBERLAND, 

JOHN NORBURY, OUR TREASURER. 

WILLIAM ROOS HAMELACK. 

WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY. 

JOHN COBHAM. 

THOMAS ERPINGHAM, OUR CHAMBERLAIN. 

THOMAS REMPSTON, STEWARD OF OUR HOUSEHOLD. 

RICHARD CLIFFORD, KEEPER OF OUR PRIVY SEAL, AND OTHERS. 
Given under our hand, at Westminster, the eighteenth day of November, in the first year of 
our reign. 

And we do, by tenor of these presents, as far as in us lies, for ourself and our heirs, accept, 
approve, ratify, and to our said beloved mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the said town, their heirs 
and successors, all and singular the grants, confirmations and restitutions aforesaid, as the charters 
aforesaid do reasonably make appear, that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the said town, 
may use and enjoy the said liberties and acquittances, that the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, 
their ancestors, reasonably used and enjoyed, from the time of the making of the charters aforesaid, 
In testimouy whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent. — Witness ourself at 
Leicester, the 24th day of May, in the second year of our reign. 

And we do, for ourself, our heirs and successors, as far as in us lies, accept, approve, and ratify, 
to our now beloved mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the said town, their heirs and successors, all 
and singular the franchises, liberties, privileges, easements, and immunities, concessions, confirmations 
and restitutions aforesaid, as by the charters aforesaid do appear, or as the said mayor, bailiffs, and 
burgesses of Nottingham, and their predecessors used, or ought to have had and enjoyed, the 
disuse or abuse of any such privileges, liberties, easements, or immunities notwithstanding. 

And furthermore, we have, of our abundant grace, mere motion, and certain knowledge, granted, 
and by these presents do confirm, for ourself, our heirs and successors, to the burgesses of the said 

50 



422 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



town of Nottingham, their heirs and successors, that the said town of Nottingham, that hath for a 
long time been a town corporate, be henceforth, for ever, a town corporate, and that the said 
mayor and burgesses, and the mayor and burgesses their successors of the said town, be a 
corporate body in fact and in name, by the name of mayor and burgesses of the town of 
Nottingham — that they have a perpetual succession, and that the mayor and burgesses be 
deemed fit and capable to sustain, prosecute, defend, and plead by that name, to all kind of 
pleas, suits, plaints and demands in actions, real personal, and mixt, brought by and against 
them, in any courts of us, our heirs, or successors, as well in our courts of King's Bench and 
Chancery as any other, and all other temporal and spiritual judges and justices whatsoever. 
And that the said mayor and burgesses of the town aforesaid, and their heirs and successors, 
by the name of mayor and burgesses aforesaid, be capable to acquire and hold all lands, tenements, 
possessions, and hereditaments to them, their heirs and successors for ever. 

And of our more abundant grace and favour, mere motion, and certain knowledge, we have, for 
ourself, our heirs and successors, granted to the now mayor and burgesses of the town of 
Nottingham, and the mayor and burgesses of the said town their successors, that the said town of 
Nottingham and the precincts thereof, as they now extend and belong to the body of the county 
of Nottingham, be for ever, after the 15th day of September next ensuing, separate, distinct, and 
divided from the same, as well by land as water, our castle, and our gaol of our counties of 
Nottingham and Derby, called king's hall, only excepted — and that the said town of Nottingham, 
and the precincts of the same, unless as before excepted, after the said 15th day of September, 
be a county of itself, and not a parcel of the said county of Nottingham, and that except, as before 
excepted, the said town of Nottingham be for ever called, held and reckoned to be the county of 
the town of Nottingham. 

And that the said now burgesses of the said town, and the successors of the burgesses of the 
same, instead of two bailiffs for ever, have two sheriffs in the said town and precincts thereof, to be 
chosen from among themselves to hold the office of sheriff of the said town, except as before 
excepted, to the day of the feast of St. Michael the Archangel next ensuing, for that day, and until 
two other burgesses of the said town shall be chosen into the office of sheriff of the said town, and 
the precincts of the same, except as before excepted, and that annually on the feast of St. Michael 
the Archangel, they, the said sheriffs, shall be for ever chosen and made in manner following, (viz): 

The mayor and burgesses of the said town of Nottingham, shall, every year, instead of two 
bailiffs, choose, from among themselves, two fit persons into the office of sheriffs of the said town, 
and precincts of the same, except as before excepted, in the same manner as the said burgesses 
were accustomed to choose the bailiffs of the said town, and the burgesses so chosen shall 
immediately after their election into that office, take the oaths before the mayor for the lawful and 
due performance of the same — nor shall they go out of the said town to take the same ; — and the 
names of the said sheriffs shall be sent into the Chancery of us, our heirs and successors every year, 
within twelve days after such election, under the seal of the said mayor of the said town of 
Nottingham aforesaid. That the mayor that now is, be escheator, and that whatever burgess be 
hereafter chosen mayor of the said town, be immediately escheator of us, our heirs and successors, 



APPENDIX. 423 



the whole of the time such burgess shall continue mayor ; and that hereafter there shall be no 
other escheator of sheriff in or for the said town of Nottingham, and the precincts of the same, 
than from among the burgesses, in manner aforesaid. And that the escheator and sheriffs of the 
said town, and the precincts of the same, except as before excepted, have the power, jurisdiction, 
privilege, and whatever appertains to the offices of escheators and sheriffs of us, our heirs and 
successors, and which other escheators and sheriffs of any place within our kingdom of England 
have, should have, might have, or claim right to. And that all and singular such writs, precepts 
or mandates, that heretofore were accustomed, or ought to have been served by the sheriff of 
Nottingham, or the bailiffs of the said town, and the precincts of the same, shall immediately from 
and after the said fifteenth day of September, be directed to, demanded and executed by the sheriffs 
of the said town. 

And that the sheriffs of the said town, and the precincts thereof, and other sheriffs for time to 
come, shall, in future, hold their county court on Monday in every month within the said town, for 
the said town, and the precincts of the same, in such manner as other sheriffs, at other places within 
our kingdom, or as other sheriffs of us, our heirs and successors hold, or ought to hold their county 
courts in other parts of our kingdom. 

And that the said now burgesses of the said town and their successors for ever, hold a court, at 
their pleasure, of all and singular contracts, covenants and trespasses, as well against the peace as 
otherwise, and of all other things, causes, and matters whatsoever, arising within the said town and 
the precincts thereof, except as before excepted, to be held from day to day in the guildhall of the 
said town, before the mayor of the said town, or his deputy, and the sheriffs of the same for the 
time being, and that the mayor of the town for the time being, and the sheriffs for the time being* 
from the aforesaid fifteenth day of September, have power and authority in that court to hear and 
determine all kinds of pleas, suits, plaints, causes and demands, of all_ actions, real, personal, and 
mixt, within the said town, and the liberty and precincts of the same, except as before excepted, to 
be brought, as well in the presence of us, our heirs and successors, as in our absence, with all kinds 
of fees issuing or arising to the said sheriffs out of the said court, to their own proper use, without let 
or impediment of us, our heirs and successors, or any the justices of us, our heirs or successors; the 
steward or marshal of our household shall not take cognizance of pleas, trespasses, contracts, 
covenants, things, or matters, within the said town, or liberties of the same, except as before 
excepted ; nor shall any one intermeddle within the same. And that the same escheator and 
sheriffs within the said town of Nottingham, for the time being, do severally, every year, account 
before the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer of us, our heirs and successors, by their attorney 
severally appointed, or to be appointed, by letters patent under the seal of office of the escheator 
and sheriffs of the said town, and that such account, so made before the treasurer and barons 
aforesaid, by such attorneys, instead of such escheator and sheriffs, shall be deemed of sufficient 
force and effect. 

Furthermore, that the said escheator and sheriffs of the said town of Nottingham, their successors, 
or any of them, within the said town, shall in no case be liable personably to account for the same, 
and the escheator of the said town of Nottingham shall, for ever, every year, forthwith upon his 



424 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



election, take the oath of office, faithfully to execute the same, before one or both coroners, within 
the town of Nottingham, and not elsewhere. And be it always provided, that within twelve days 
after the election of the mayor of the said town, the name of his escheator shall, every year, be 
certified to the exchequer of us, our heirs and successors, under the seal of office of the said mayor. 

And of our mere motion and certain knowledge, we have, for ourself, our heirs and successors, 
granted to our now burgesses of the said town of Nottingham and their successors for ever ; the 
chattels of ail persons convicted of felonies, murders, and any other offences, as well at the suit of 
us, our heirs and successors, as of any persons whomsoever, of outlaws and felo-de-se, and deodand. 
within the said town and precincts thereof, except as before excepted. And the said now burgesses 
of the said town, and their successors, for ever have all amerciaments, redemptions, issues, 
forfeitures, and all fines for trespasses, offences, neglects, misprisons and contempts whatsoever, 
post-fines, and all things which in any wise pertain to us, our heirs and successors, of all persons 
whomsoever having or holding within the town of Nottingham, whether altogether or in part having 
residence in the same, (to wit) of al! kinds of pledges and manucaptures of persons within the same, 
in our Courts of King's Bench, Chancery, Exchequer, Steward of our household, for the time being, 
Justices Itinerant, Common Pleas, and Pleas of the forest, as well in the presence as in the 
absence of us, our heirs and successors — and that they, the said burgesses, may themselves, or by 
their officers, levy, take, receive and enjoy all fines, amerciaments, redemptions, issues, forfeitures, 
and all other things that would have pertained to us, our heirs and successors, had this grant never 
been made, to levy, take, and have the same without any let or impediment of us, our heirs and 
successors, our justices, escheators, sheriffs, coroners, or other our bailiffs or ministers whatsoever. 

And of our more abundant grace and favor, mere motion and certain knowledge, we do, for 
ourself, our heirs and successors, grant to the now burgesses of the said town of Nottingham, their 
heirs and successors, that they the said burgesses, their heirs and successors, do, from time to time, 
choose from among themselves, seven aldermen, one of which is to be elected to, and serve the 
office of mayor of the said town. — That such aldermen, so chosen, shall continue in office during 
life, unless they or any of them, at his or their special request, made to the rest of the burgesses 
of the said town, for the time being-, or for some other notable cause, the said alderman or aldermen 
removed by the said mayor and burgesses; or, in case such alderman or aldermen die. or for some 
other cause he or they be removed from his or their office, that the then mayor and burgesses of the 
town aforesaid, have power and authority to choose from among themselves one or more alderman 
or aldermen instead of the alderman or aldermen so dying, departing, or removed, according to the 
tenor of these presents, and so from time to time, upon the death, departure, or removal of any 
alderman of the said town in manner aforesaid. 

And that the aldermen of the said town be justices of us, our heirs and successors for the time 
being, within the said town, liberties and precincts of the same, except as before excepted, for ever 
to keep the peace within the same ;— and that seven, six, five, four, and three (one of which to be 
the mayor of the said town for the time being) have full power and authority to hear and determine 
all felonies, murders, trespasses, and misprisons, as all kinds of causes, plaints, contempts, and 
all other wrongs whatsoever, which ought or may hereafter pertain to other justices within our 



APPENDIX. 425 



kingdom of England to hear, enquire, determine, or in any wise correct within the said town, or 
liberties and precincts thereof, except as before excepted : — That they have hereafter the correction 
and punishment of servants, labourers, and artificers, within the said town and liberties of the 
same, in as full and ample manner as the keepers and justices of the peace within the county of 
Nottingham, or any where else within our kingdom of England. 

And we furthermore, of our mere motion and certain knowledge, grant, for ourself, our heirs 
and successors, to our burgesses of the said town, their heirs and successors, that they for ever have 
all fines, issues, forfeitures, amerciaments awarded, or to be awarded by the mayor or any of the 
justices of the peace of the said town, within the liberties and precincts of the same, except as 
before excepted, to be levied by their proper officers, for the aid, maintenance, and support of the 
said town.— And that the aforesaid burgesses of the town of Nottingham aforesaid, for ever have 
the forfeiture of all victuals within the said town, legally forfeited, as bread, wine, and all victuals 
whatsoever, that pertaining to merchandise excepted. 

And moreover, of our own mere motion and certain knowledge, we have granted, and for ourself, 
our heirs and successors, do confirm to our now aforesaid burgesses, their heirs and successors 
forever, that the steward and marshal of the household, or clerk of the market of us, our heirs 
and successors, them, or any of them, do not in our presence, or in our absence, enter, sit, enquire, 
or exercise any function of their respective offices, nor implead any burgesses, or other persons of 
the said town, within the liberties and precincts of the same, except as before excepted, for any 
matters, causes, pleas, plaints, or things before them, or any of them, hereafter, on any account 
whatever. 

And we, of our own mere motion and certain knowledge, have granted and permitted, for 
ourself, our heirs and successors, to the now burgesses of the said town of Nottingham and their 
successors, that the burgesses of the said town, who for the time being, shall be aldermen of the 
same, shall for ever wear gowns and collars, with sleeves of one form, and livery, and furs, facings, 
and robings, in manner of the mayor, and aldermen of our city of London, any statute or ordinance 
heretofore, to the contrary notwithstanding. 

Nevertheless, it is our pleasure that the said escheators and sheriffs of the said town, and liberties 
and precincts of the same (except as before excepted) do, by their attorneys, account before the 
treasurer and barons of the exchequer, of all things that of right belong to us, our heirs or 
successors, as the escheators and sheriffs of our said county of Nottingham, or one or any of them 
would have accounted for before the said treasurer and barons of the exchequer of us, our heirs 
and successors, if this present charter had not been : — except of all manner of fines, issues, 
amerciaments, and forfeitures, before the justices of the peace of the said town, and the precincts 
of the same, except as before excepted, and of certain premises by us granted to the said mayor 
and burgesses, by virtue of these presents. 

Provided always, that the now mayor and burgesses of the said town of Nottingham, and their 
successors, be in no wise excluded, barred, or estopped of any of the liberties, franchises, and 
privileges, to be had and claimed by the said mayor and burgesses, or bailiffs and burgesses of the 
said town, by their acceptance of these presents ; but that it be lawful for the said mayor and 

5J? 



426 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



burgesses, and their successors, to claim, enjoy and have, of their own right and title, all and 
singular the liberties, privileges, and franchises aforesaid, any grant of the same, or the acceptance 
of these presents by the said mayor and burgesses to the contrary notwithstanding: — 

Wherefore it is our pleasure, and we strictly command, for ourself, our heirs and successors 
aforesaid, that our said burgesses of our said town, do have, hold, and exercise, to them, and every 
of them, all and singular the cognizances, liberties and immunities, and all other the premises 
above particularly expressed, fully, wholly, peaceably, and quietly, without hindrance, disturbance, 
molestation, or impediment of us, our heirs or successors, or the officers or ministers of our heirs 
and successors, or any others whomsoever, in manner and form as aforesaid, any gift or grant 
of us, or our ancestors, to the burgesses of the said town of Nottingham, or their predecessors, 
no express mention of the value of the said chattels, amerciaments, fines, issues, and premises 
being made, notwithstanding. 

Witnesss the king himself at Winchester, under writ of privy seal, 28th day of June*; 
five marks being paid into the hanaper. 

CHARTER OF WILLIAM AND MARY, 

Dated October 19, 1692. 

William and Mary, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, Prance, and Ireland, King and 
Queen, defenders of the Faith : To all to whom these presents, our letters, shall come, greeting, 

We have inspected certain letters patent, under the great seal of England, bearing date at 
Westminster, the twelfth day of February, in the twentieth year of the reign of the late King 
James over England, France, and Ireland, and the fifty-sixth over Scotland, made and granted to 
the mayor and burgesses of the town of Nottingham, in these words : — 

"James, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, defender of 
the faith, &c. : To all to whom these presents, our letters, shall come, greeting." 

" We have inspected certain letters patent of the Lord Henry the Sixth, formerly King of England, 
to the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the town of Nottingham, made on the twenty-eighth day of 
June, in the twenty-seventh year of his reign, in the records of our exchequer at Westminster, 
that is, in the original, in the twenty-third, amongst the rolls of the said twenty-seventh year of 
the late King Henry the Sixth, remaining and existing amongst the records of our treasury in our 
said exchequer, in these words : — ■ 

'■* ' The King, to all to whom, &c. &c. &c.' 

" But we, at the requisition and solicitation of the present mayor and burgesses of our said town 
of Nottingham, have caused all the aforesaid, and each of them, to be recorded under the seal of 
our exchequer, by the tenor of our presents. In testimony of which thing, we have caused these 
our letters patent to be made ; our beloved and faithful kinsman and counsellor, Lionel Earl of 
Middlesex, our principal treasurer of England, being witness, at Westminster, on the twelfth 
day of February, in the twentieth year of our reign over England, France, and Ireland, and the 
fifty-sixth over Scotland." 



* Patent Roll. 27th of Henry (lie Sixth, p. 2. m.fi. 



APPENDIX. 427 



But, we (William and Mary,) having ratified and granted, all and each of the franchises, 
liberties, privileges, acquittances, immunities, grants, confirmations, and restitutions aforesaid, we 
accept, approve and ratify for ourselves, and heirs, and successors as far as in us lies, all and each 
of the franchises, liberties, privileges, acquittances, and immunities aforesaid, and to our beloved the 
mayor and burgesses of the said town and their successors by the tenor of these presents we grant 
and confirm, as the aforesaid charters rationally witness, and as the said mayor and burgesses of 
the said town of Nottingham or their predecessors ever ought, have been able, or have had a right 
to use and enjoy, the franchises, liberties, privileges, acquittances, and immunities aforesaid. It 
is lawful likewise with respect to the franchises, liberties, privileges, acquittances, and immunities 
aforesaid, each or any of which, the said mayor and burgesses or their predecessors may have not 
used, or used improperly. And as we are given to understand, that by the pretext of a certain 
instrument or writing, to which the common seal of the mayor and burgesses of the said town, 
through the combination of a few persons of the said town, was added and affixed, bearing date the 
eighteenth day of September, in the thirty-fourth year of the reign of the late King Charles the 
Second our predecessor of happy memory, and entered on the records of the court of Chancery of 
the late king aforesaid, purporting to be a concession made by the said mayor and burgesses to the 
said late king and his heirs and successors, of all and each of their manors, messuages, lands, 
tenements, rents, and hereditaments, with whatsoever appurtenances from which, or in which the 
said mayor and burgesses then, or at any former time were in any way seized, possessed, or 
interested by right of their incorporation, or in their incorporated capacity in any manner 
whatsoever ; and also purporting to be a concession and surrender by the said mayor and burgesses 
to the said late king, of all the franchises, charters, letters patent of incorporation, powers, liberties, 
and immunities whatsoever, at any time or times granted to, or enjoyed by the said mayor and 
burgesses or their predecessors, or any of them, in any ways or manners, or by any name or 
names whatsoever. Moreover by reason of the aforesaid pretended surrender and giving up, and 
also under the pretext or colour of divers charters or letters patent of the said corporation made 
and granted, or said to have been made and granted by the late King Charles the Second, and the 
late King James the Second, after the date of the said instrument, or pretended surrender, divers 
doubts, questions, and controversies, have arisen of and concerning the liberties, franchises, 
customs, lands and possessions, of the mayor and burgesses of the said town, and also concerning 
the election and continuation of certain officers of the said town. 

Know ye therefore, that we (William and Mary) having the peace and tranquility of the said 
town, (Nottingham) and the burgesses and inhabitants thereof, much at heart, and being desirous 
to put an end to all doubts, disputes and controversies in this behalf, have, of our special favor, 
certain knowledge, and mere motion, with the advice of our privy council, assigned, nominated, 
ordained, constituted, and confirmed, and by these presents do assign, nominate, ordain, constitute, 
and confirm, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, that William Greaves, gentleman, wno was 
mayor of the said town of Nottingham, before the above pretended surrender, be and is the present 
and new mayor of the said town, and that he be continued in the said office from the date of these 
presents to the usual time of election of mayor for the said town, on the feast of St. Michael the 



428 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



Archangel, in the year of our Lord 1693, if the said William Greaves shall so long live. And 
furthermore, Ave will, and by these presents do grant, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to 
the mayor and burgesses of the said town, and their successors, power and authority, from time to 
time, within the space of two months next after the date of these presents, to choose, nominate and 
appoint from among themselves, as well those that have, as those that have not served the office of 
sheriff, as to the mayor and major part of the burgesses shall seem best, certain of them to the 
office of common council of the said town, and that they are and be of the common council of the 
same, to choose so many and as often as may be necessary to complete the number of eighteen, 
within the space of two months next after the date of these presents. And furthermore, we will, 
and by these presents do grant and confirm, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to the mayor 
and burgesses of the said town, and their successors, that after having elected in this manner, and 
the expiration of the aforesaid two months next after the date of these presents, it may and shall be 
lawful for the mayor and burgesses of the said town, and their successors, from time to time, and at 
all times, to choose, nominate and appoint fit persons to the office of common council of the said 
town, in such manner as they were used and accustomed to be chosen before the day of the date 
of the aforesaid pretended surrender, (viz.) the said eighteenth day of September, in the thirty- 
fourth year of the reign of his late majesty King Charles the Second, or any former period. 

And we will that the said William Greaves, before he be admitted to perform the office of mayor 
of the said town, shall take the corporation oath for the due performance of the office of mayor of 
the said town, and likewise the oaths appointed by a certain act made and provided in our 
parliament, held at Westminster, in the first year of our reign, to be taken and performed before 
Thomas Trigge and Ralph Bennet, gentlemen, or either of them ; to each and either of whom by 
these presents, we give and grant the full power and authority of administering the said respective 
oaths. 

And of our more especial grace and from certain knowledge and sole inclination, we pardon, 
remit, and excuse, and by these presents, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, we pardon, remit 
and excuse to the mayor and burgesses of the said town, all and each of the matters, contempts, 
crimes, offences, and transgressions, which any of them have done, committed, or perpetrated, of, 
for, in, or concerning the performance, or the bad performance of any offices within the said town, 
or the limits, or precincts of the same, at any time or times after the said eighteenth day of 
September, in the said thirty-fourth year of the aforesaid late King Charles the Second. 

And we also pardon, remit, and excuse, and by these presents for ourselves, our heirs and 
successors, we pardon, remit, and excuse, to all and each of the burgesses of the said town of 
Nottingham, all and each of the matters, contempts, crimes, offences, and transgressions whatsoever 
by themselves, or each, or any of them separately, or conjointly done, committed, or perpetrated, 
of, for, or in the performance of any office, or offices within the said town, or the limits and 
precincts of the same, under the colour or pretext of any letters patent of the late King Charles 
the Second and James the Second, or either of them, at any time or times after the said eighteenth 
day of September, of the said thirty-fourth year of the said King Charles the Second. 

And of our more abundant grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have given, granted, 



APPENDIX. 429 



restored, confirmed and ratified, and by these presents, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, do 
grant, restore, confirm, and ratify to the mayor and burgesses of the town of Nottingham and 
their successors, all manors, messuages, mills, revenues, lands, tenements, tithes, meadows^ 
grounds, pastures, common-rights, feasts, fairs, markets, together with all powers, prescriptions, 
liberties, privileges, franchises, immunities, jurisdictions, charters, letters patent of incorporation, 
customs, profits, offices, officers, exemptions, acquittances, unclaimed lands, wastes, easements 
emoluments, goods, chattels, and hereditaments, and all such things as by the letters patent of 
King James the First, bearing date the twelfth day of February, in the twentieth year of his reign 
over England, France, and Ireland, and the fifty-sixth over Scotland, and all other the Kings and 
Queens of England, our ancestors, to the said mayor and burgesses were given, granted, and 
confirmed, or by any other aforesaid letters patent granted, or said to be granted or confirmed, to 
the mayor and burgesses of the said town, or whatever the mayor and burgesses of the said town, 
or their predecessors, by any name or names of incorporation, before the said eighteenth day of 
September, in the thirty-fourth year of the said King Charles the Second, possessed, held, used, 
enjoyed, or occupied, or ought or were able to have, hold, use, or enjoy for themselvers, or their 
successors, by reason or pretence of any or each of the said letters patent, or any other charters, 
grants, or letters patent whatsoever, by any of our progenitors or predecessors, formerly Kings or 
Queens of England, in any manner made, granted, or confirmed, before the said eighteenth day 
of September, in the thirty-fourth year of the reign of the late King Charles the Second, or any 
other lawful manner, law, or title, use, or prescription, lawfully used, possessed, accustomed, or 
enjoyed, before the date of the present. And as we are given to understand, that certain persons, 
inhabitants of the said town and borough of Nottingham, have, after the time of the aforesaid 
pretended surrender, taken upon themselves to be a body corporate, by the name of mayor, 
aldermen, and burgesses of the town of Nottingham, in the county of the said town, under 
the pretence or colour of certain letters patent, granted by the late Kings Charles the Second and 
James the Second, and have given certain discharges, or pretended discharges, to divers persons 
of divers lands, tenements, and hereditaments, belonging or appertaining to the mayor and 
burgesses of the town of Nottingham, at the time of the aforesaid pretended surrender, and have 
obtained and received divers sums of money under pretence of the said discharges. And as we 
are unwilling that those persons to whom such discharges, or pretended discharges, were made, 
should in any manner be deprived of their lands, for which they have bona fide given valuable 
considerations, we of our special grace, certain knowledge, and sole inclination, do grant and 
confirm, and by these presents for ourselves, our heirs, and successors, do grant and confirm, to 
all and to every person or p ersons to whom any such discharge, or pretended discharge, or any 
discharges, or pretended discharges, have been made of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments 
aforesaid, that every such person or persons shall henceforth respectfully have, hold, and enjoy; 
and be empowered to have, hold, and enjoy, all the lands, tenements, and hereditaments, or any 
of them, for which they so discharged, or in a pretended manner discharged, bona fide, made 
valuable considerations for the residue of the respective terms or limits in each such discharge, 

5Q 



430 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



subjected to the annual rent, conditions, conventions, and agreements, specified in such discharges, 
and according to true purport of the said discharges, or pretended discharges. 

In testimony of which thing, we have caused these letters patent to be made, ourselves being 
witness, at Westminster, on the nineteenth day of October, in the fourth year of our reign. 

FIGOTT. 

By writ of privy seal, 

T, TREVOR. 
W. RAWLINSON. 
G. HUTCHINSON. 
For fine in hanaper, twenty marcs. 

TRANSLATION OF A GRANT BY QUEEN ANNE OF TWO NEW FAIRS. 

" Anne by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Queen, defender of the 
" faith, &c. &c." To all to whom these our letters shall come, greeting. Whereas by an 
inquisition taken at the Guildhall of the town of Nottingham in our county of the town of 
Nottingham, on the fifth day of May in the eleventh year of our reign, in virtue of our writ of 
ad quod damnum,* lately issued from our Chancery to the sheriff of the aforesaid county of the 
town of Nottingham, ordering the aforesaid inquisition ; it is found by the oaths of honest and 
lawful men of the aforesaid county, that it would not be any damage to us, or others, or any 
detriment to the neighbouring fairs or markets, if we should grant to the mayor and burgesses of 
the aforesaid town and their successors, that they may have and hold annually for ever, at the 
town of Nottingham aforesaid, a fair or market, beginning on the Thursday next before Easter- 
Sunday, and then and there to be held and continued during the eight next following days, and 
another fair or market beginning on the Friday next before the first Tuesday after the feast of 
Epiphany, then and there to be held and continued during the eight next following days, for the 
buying and selling in these fairs or markets, cattle, sheep, and all and every sort of goods and 
merchandise whatsoever, that are commonly bought and sold in fairs or markets, and the tolls and 
duties thence arising to be taken in the manner fully shewn by the writ and inquisition remaining 
on record on the files of our court of Chancery. 

Be it therefore known, that we of our special grace and good will have given and conceded for 
ourselves, and by these presents for our heirs and our successors, we give and concede to the 
aforesaid mayor and burgesses and their successor that they may have and hold annually and for 
ever, at the aforesaid town of Nottingham, one fair or market, beginning on the Thursday next 
before Easter Sunday, to be then and there held and continued during the eight next following 
days, and another fair or market, beginning on the Friday next before the first Tuesday after the 
feast of Epiphany, then to be held and continued during the eight next following days, for the 
buying and selling in these fairs or markets, cattle, sheep, and all and every sort of goods and 



* Ad quod dt.mnum (To what damage) is a writ which ought to bo issued before the king grants certain liberties, as fairs., markets, &c. <fcc and is 
directed to the sheriff to enquire wheiher it would be to ihe damage or prejudice of any persoD, if sucli grant should be made. 



APPENDIX. 4.31 



merchandise whatsoever, that are commonly bought and sold in fairs or markets, together with a 
court of pie powders* during the time of the aforesaid fairs, and also all tolls and other duties 
belonging or appertaining to the aforesaid fairs or markets ; the having, holding, and enjoying the 
aforesaid fair or market, and court of pie powders, and other things said in our presents to be 
given or. to be conceded to the aforesaid mayor and burgesses of the aforesaid town of Nottingham, 
and their successors to be for ever, for the sole advantage and use of the aforesaid mayor and burgesses 
of the aforesaid town of Nottingham and their successors, and this without any fee or acknowledg- 
ment paid or given, to us our heirs or successors. We therefore will, and by these our ^presents 
firmly enjoining, for ourselves and our successors, we order and command, that the aforesaid 
mayor and burgesses of the said town of Nottingham and their successors, in virtue of these 
presents, may freely, lawfully, and quietly have, hold, and keep, and may for ever have power and 
authority to have, hold, and keep the aforesaid fairs or markets, together with the court of pie 
powders, and other aforesaid things, according to the tenor and true intent of these our letters 
patent, without any molestation, disturbance, hindrance, or contradiction, from our heirs or 
sucessors, or any sheriffs, escheators, bailiffs, officers, or servants, of our heirs or successors, and 
this without any other warrant, writ, or process, in future obtained or procured for that purpose. 
Lastly, w r e will and by these presents grant, for ourselves our heirs and successors, to the aforesaid 
mayor and burgesses of the said town, and their successors, that these our letters patent, or enroll- 
ment of the same, may and shall be good, firm, binding, sufficient and effectual in law to the 
aforesaid mayor and burgesses of the said town of Nottingham and their successors, according to 
the true intent of the same. 

In witness of which, we have caused these our letters pntent to be made, ourself being witness 
at Westminster, thirteenth day of August, in the eleventh year of our reign. 

By writ of privy seal, 

COCKS. 

EXTRACT FROM THE 

FOUNDATION DEED of the PRIORY at LEJYTOJY, 

Being that part ivhich relates to the possessions of the Peverels in the town of Nottingham, 

and noticed page 82. 

Be it known to all the faithful clergy and laity of the holy church of God, as well French as 
English, who now are or hereafter may be, that I William Peverel for the love of divine worship, 
and the common remedy of the souls of my Lords King William and his Queen Matilda and their 
son King William, and all their parents and mine; also for the salvation of my present Lord King 
Henry and Matilda his wife, and their son William and their daughter Matilda, &c. &c. &c. 

Item. — I give to the monastery Which I have founded at Lenton, the tenth part of my hunting 
as well skins as flesh, and the whole tenth of my fishery of Nottingham. Item. — With the 



* Pie Powder Court (Dusty Foot Court) is a court held in fairs to do justice to buyers and sellers, and for redress of disorders committed in them. — 
So called because they are most usual in summer when the suitors to the court have dusty feet ; and from the expedition in hearing causes proper 
thereto, before the dust goes off the feet of the plaintiff ami defendant. Jacob's Law DU tionarg 



432 



HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



permission of my Lord King- Henry, I give to them the church of St. Mary in the English borough 
of the town of Nottingham, with the lands and tenths, and all other things belonging to it, also the 
the church of St. Peter, with all belonging to it, also the church of St. Nicholas, with all belonging 
to it, &c. &c* 

A MUSTER ROLL OF THE FOOT COMPANY 

UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN THOMAS POULTON, GOVERNOR OF NOTTINGHAM CASTLE. 
Thomas Poulton, Captain. John Gillot, Lieutenant. Richard Mortlocke, Ensign. 



Serjeants. 

X 



Corporals. 



John Rouse, 
William Vincent, 
John Barrow, 
George Fox, 
Robert Breerley, 
Henry Wright, 
William Wilkinson, 
John Noone, 
Francis Walker, 
George Coates, 
Anthony Hutchinson, 
Henry Gamble, 
James Starre, 
Robert Wright, 
William Wright, 
Richard Coursby, 
Richard Birche, 
Samuel Belcher, 
Francis Rayner, 
William Smalley, 
John Aston, 
Thomas Raynor, 
William Claybrooke, 
William Chamberlaine, 
John Hill, 



Thomas Lume, 

John Allen, 

Henry Grundy, 

George Franks, 

Robert Barker, j 

5 John Bradwell, 
\ John Trueman, 
< Robert Clarke, 
l Thomas Batty 
| Rice Jones, 
John Howes, 
Philip Knight, 
Richard Hollis, 
William Hall, 
Thomas Dallowater, 
Henry Viccars, 
Gervas Johnson, 
Abraham Hextall, 
John Brentnall, 
Thomas Syseton, 
Robert Crosse, 
Edward Ashe, 
John Lundy, 
Samuel Rose, 
Richard Toll, 
John Hilton, 
John Preston, 
Robert Townroe, 



Thomas Campain, 
Gervas Waller, 



John Cooper, ' ( 
John Ellis, 



Drummers. 



Thomas Holt, Gentleman of Arms. 
Lawrence Collin, Gunner. 
John Pearson, Mattross. 



Christopher Baresey, 
John Wilson, 
Robert Barlow, 
Francis Smite, 
Thomas Hyfield, 
John Naylor, 
John Close, 
Richard Norte, 
Robert Lindley, 
Matthew Bugge, 
John Dickenson, 
Gervas Hallome, 
Robert Burnett, 
James Holbrooke, 
George Woollett, 
Robert Chantrey, 
Richard Mortley, 
Jonathan Newham, 
George Faurett, 
John Winter, 
John Newham, 
Nathaniel Chamberlain, 
William Nyles, 
George Stoute, 
George Kirke, 



Richard Bailey, 
John Hiteersey, 
John Baynett, 
James Robinson, 
John Staodley, 
Theophilus Newam, 
Thomas Harrie, 
Jonathan Saunders, 
William Porter, 
Richard Fouljam, 
John Calton, 
William Gent, 
Nicholas Colton, 
Robert Clarke, 
William Walldon, 
Edward Harlowe, 
George Powell, 
Valentine Salt, 
John Hutchinson, 
Thomas Patchet, 
John Jackson, 
Thomas Morley, 
Thomas Wright, 
George Bush, 
Matthew Livesley. 



January 27, 1648. — Mustered then in Captain Poulton's company, governor of Nottingham 
castle, the captain, lieutenant, ensign, two Serjeants, three corporals, a gentleman of arms, two 
drummers, one gunner, one mattross, and one hundred private soldiers. 

JONA EVERARD. 



* The date of this charter is Dot given by Dugdale, but as the grant was witnessed by Gerard Archbishop of York, who had been chancellor to 
William the Conqueror, and was translated from Hereford to York in 1100, and died in 1108, it of course follows that the deed must have beeB 
executed in or between those years. 



APPENDIX. 438 



THE PHILADELPHIANS, OR FAMILY OF LOVE. 

The meetings of this sect were., for near a century, held at a house on the north-side of 
Brewhouse-yard, and are noticed by Dr. Thoroton, in a manner, not the most respectable,* (see 
page 51). Deering mentions such a society having existed, but being entirely dispersed at 
the time of his writing. He, however, gives an account of their origin and tenets ; which not 
having met with elsewhere, I shall here transcribe, believing that the reader will not be displeased 
in having an opportunity of comparing the doctrines promulgated by these people, with those so 
lately received by the deluded followers of Joanna Southcott. 

Deering informs us, that " they obtained the above mentioned name (Philadelphians), as also 
the English name of Family of Love, from the love they professed to bear to all men, though 
never so wicked, and their obedience to all magistrates, though never so tyrannical, be they Jews, 
Gentiles, or Turks. 

" Their founder was one David George, of Delphi, in Holland, an Anabaptist, a man of 
graceful aspect, affable, though grave, wearing a long yellowish beard, of a becoming modest and 
discreet deportment, who after he had continued in his own country forty years, thought himself 
not safe any longer there, and sought a settlement at Basil, in Switzerland, for himself, his family, 
and some companions, 1544, the which, on pretence of being driven out of his country for the 
sake of the gospel, by his moving eloquence, he obtained from the magistrates, who made him a 
brother citizen. There he purchased divers houses, where he, and those belonging to him, lived 
in common ; he bought besides, a farm, in the country. His diligent study of religion, his 
frequent exercise of devotion, munificence, alms, and all kinds of good offices, (for which his 
riches enabled him,) procured him an universal good character, and gained him many friends and 
adherents. During this time, by his letters, writings, and emissaries, he planted and propagated 
his new doctrine, not at home, but through the Low Countries, where it occasioned great tumults. 
However, himself died in August 1556, and was at first honorably interred, but to the great 
surprise of his people, to whom he had declared himself immortal, or at least, that he should rise 
ao-ain in three days, neither of which proving true, made many of his sectaries at Basil disown his 
doctrine ; but after a strict inquiry into his tenets, his doctrine was declared impious, and himself 
unworthy of christian burial, with a sentence, that his body and books should be burnt by the 
common hangman, in a public place, and accordingly his carcase was taken up three years after 
his death, and with his printed and manuscript writings, committed to the flames. 

" This man was succeeded by one Henry Nicholas, of Amsterdam, a disciple of the said David 
George, who called himself the father of the Family of Love, the restorer of the world, the 
prophet sent of God , he wrote several tracts, in one of which he mentions that the minute of the 
last trumpet was coming that should unfold all the books of unquiet consciences, hell and eternal 
judgment which should be found to be only things grounded upon meer lies, and as all wickedness 
and high misdeeds were hateful and detestable to God, so also were glorious and plausible lies no 
less odious to him." 



* Thoroton says, " The Brewhouse-yard is a constablery, wherein there are many houses, some in the rock, others out of it, all which being now 
of no parish, are a great receptacle for fanatics, and other like people, who would not livr conformable to the laws." 

5R 



434 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

n.ii mii. ii niiil^»ai i i m mm i. -..■■ .11 ——■—■»—— ^—m—— MM— r 

FRAME-BREAKING. 

The system adopted by the Luddites, having- been persevered in, with more or less violence, 
during the whole time this work has been in the press, the author feels it his duty, to give to the 
public, abstracts of the three following acts of parliament. The first was passed in the 28th year 
of his present Majesty, for the protection of stocking-frames, machinery in mills, fyc. The 
second, already alluded to (page 403.) The third for the protection of stocking and lace frames, 
&c. passed in 1813, and is the one now acted upon by the courts. 

ACT FOR PROTECTING STOCKING-FRAMES, MACHINERY, %c. 

Abstract of " An act for the better and more effectual protection of stocking-frames, and the 
machines or engines annexed thereto, or used therewith ; and for the punishment of persons 
destroying or injuring of such stocking-frames, machines or engines, and the framework-knitted 
pieces, stockings, and other articles and goods used and made in the hosiery or framework-knitted 
manufactory ; or breaking or destroying any machinery contained in any mill or mills used, or any 
way employed in preparing or spinning of wool or cotton for the use of the stocking-frame." — 
Anno 28 Geo. III. 

" Whereas the frames for making of framework-knitted pieces, stockings, and other articles and 
goods in the hosiery or framework -knitted manufactory, are very valuable and expensive machines, 
and generally the property of the hosier or manufacturer, who lets the same to hire to his workmen 
or framework-knitters ; and it hath frequently happened that the hosier or manufacturer, being the 
owner or employer of such frame or frames, and having so put and let the same out to hire, and 
wanting, for the accommodation of his trade and business, to take and remove such frame or frames 
from the use and possession of one workman into the hands and custody of another, and having for 
such purpose given the customary and usual notice to the workman in whose hands or custody such 
frame was. so to deliver up the same, such workman hath wilfully detained and withheld the 
same, and sometimes absolutely and unlawfully sold and disposed thereof, to the great grievance, 
inconvenience, and loss of such hosier or manufacturer : And whereas it hath frequently happened, 
when discontents have arisen amongst the framework-knitters, that they and other disorderly persons 
have assembled in a riotous and tumultuous manner, and have destroyed or materially damaged 
great numbers of stocking-frames, and the machines or engines thereto annexed or used therewith, 
and committed great violences and outrages upon many of his majesty's good subjects : wherefore 
it is necessary that more effectual provision should be made against such unlawful practices, and 
for preventing such violences and outrages for the future, and for bringing all offenders in the 
premises to more speedy and exemplary justice : May it therefore please your majesty that it may 
be enacted, and be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and 
consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, 
and by the authority of the same, that if any framework-knitter or framework-knitters, who shall 
or may rent or take by the hire, any stocking-frame or frames, either with or without any machine 
or engine thereto annexed, or therewith to be employed, of and from any person or persons 



APPENDIX. 435 

-f>T1irrrtiT)m— mninTiflmriiMuift— — — i n — — ■ m m ni i i 



whomsoever, shall at any time, from and after the passing of this act, refuse to yield up and 
re-deliver such frame or frames, with the machine or engine therewith let (if any such there shall 
be) to the person or persons of whom he or they shall or may so rent the same, having received 
from such person or persons fourteen days previous notice for such purpose) then, and in every 
such case, the person so offending, being thereof lawfully convicted by the oath or (if the owner or 
employer thereof be of the people called Quakers) solemn affirmation of the owner or employer of 
such frame or frames, or by the oath or affirmation of any other credible witness or witnesses, 
before any one or more justice or justices of the peace of the county, riding, division, city, liberty, 
town, or place, where such offence shall be committed, or where the person or persons so charged 
shall reside or inhabit (which oath or affirmation the said justice or justices is and arc hereby 
impowered and required to administer,) the person or persons so offending shall, for every such 
offence, forfeit the sum of twenty shillings to and for the use of the poor of the parish where such 
offence shall be committed ; and in case the said forfeiture shall not be immediately paid, and the 
said frame or frames, with the machine or engine therewith let (if any such there shall be) delivered 
up to the owner or owners thereof, within six days next after such conviction, the justice or justices 
before whom such conviction shall be had, shall commit the party or parties so convicted to the 
common gaol or other public prison of such county, riding, division, city, liberty, town, or place, 
there to remain without bail or mainprize, and be kept to hard labour, for any time not exceeding- 
three calendar months, nor less than one calendar month. 

II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person so renting or taking 
to hire any stocking frame, with or without any such machine or engine as aforesaid, shall at any 
time, from and after the passing of this act, sell or otherwise unlawfully dispose of any such 
stocking frame, or the machine or engine therewith let, (if any such there shall be) without the 
consent of the owner or owners thereof, every such offender, being thereof lawfully convicted upon 
any indictment to be found against him, shall suffer solitary imprisonment in the common gaol or 
house of correction of the county, riding, division, city, liberty, town, or place, wherein such 
offence shall have been committed, without bail or mainprize, for a space not less than three 
calendar months, nor exceeding twelve calendar months. 

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall 
wilfully and knowingly receive or purchase any such stocking frame, machine, or engine, so sold or 
unlawfully disposed of as aforesaid, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, and shall 
thereof be lawfully convicted on any indictment to be found against him or them, every such 
offender or offenders shall be subject to such and the like punishment as by this act is inflicted or 
or provided to be inflicted, on such person so selling or unlawfully disposing of any such stocking 
frame, machine, or engine as aforesaid. 

IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall by 
day or by night, enter by force into any house, shop, or place, with an intent to cut or destroy any 
framework-knitted pieces, stockings, or other articles, or goods being in the frame, or upon any 
machine, or engine thereto annexed, or therewith to be used, or prepared for that purpose: or 
shall wilfully and maliciously cut or destroy any framework-knitted pieces, stockings, or other 



436 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



articles or goods being in the frame, or upon the machine, or engine as aforesaid, or prepared for 
that purpose ; or shall wilfully and maliciously break, destroy, or damage any frame, machine 
engine, tool, instrument, or utensil, used in and for the working and making of any such frame- 
work-knitted pieces, stockings, or other articles or goods in the hosiery or framework -knitted 
manufactory, not having the consent of the owner so to do, or break or destroy any machinery 
contained in any mill or mills used, or any way employed in preparing or spinning of wool or 
cotton for the use of the stocking frames, every offender, being thereof lawfully convicted, shall 
be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be transported to some of his majesty's dominions beyond 
seas, for any space or term of years not exceeding fourteen years, nor less than seven years." 



ABSTRACT OF AX ACT FOR PROTECTING STOCKING AND LACE FRAMES, #c. 

Passed in the fifty-second year of the reign of his majesty George the Third, entitled " An 
" act for the more exemplary punishment of persons destroying or injuring any stocking or lace 
" frames, or other machines or engines used in the framework-knitted manufactory, or any articles 
" or goods in such frames, or machines." " 

" Whereas the provisions of an act of the twenty-eighth year of the reign of his present majesty, 
intituled, ee An act for the better and more effectual protection of stocking frames, and the 
machines or engines annexed thereto or used therewith, and for the punishment of persons destroy- 
ing or injuring of such stocking frames, machines, or engines, and the framework-knitted pieces, 
stockings, and other articles and goods used and made in the hosiery or framework-knitted 
manufactory, or breaking or destroying any machinery contained in any mill or mills used, or any 
way employed in preparing or spinning of wool or cotton for the use of the stocking frame," have 
been found ineffectual for the preventing framework-knitters, and other disorderly and evil-disposed 
persons, destroying or damaging frames and machines, or engines thereto annexed or used 
therewith in the making of stocking or lace-work, and it is therefore necessary that more effectual 
provisions should be made against such unlawful practices, and preventing such outrages, and 
bringing offenders therein to exemplary justice. 

Clause I. That if any person or persons shall, by day or by night, enter by force into any house, 
shop, or place, with an intent to cut or destroy any framework-knitted pieces, stockings, or lace, 
or other articles or goods being in the frame, or upon any machine or engine thereto annexed or 
therewith to be used or prepared for that purpose ; or with an intent to break, destroy, or damage 
any frame, machine, engine, tool, instrument, or utensil, used in and for the working and makin^ 
of any such framework-knitted pieces, stockings, lace, or other articles or goods in the hosiery or 
framework-knitted manufactory, he, she, or they, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor : And if any 
person or persons shall wilfully and maliciously, and without having the consent or authority of 
the owner, cut or destroy any framework-knitted pieces, stockings, lace, or other articles or goods 
being in the frame, or upon any machine or engine as aforesaid, or prepared for that purpose • or 
shall wilfully and maliciously, and without having the consent or authority of the owner, break 
destroy, or damage any frame, machine, engine, tool, instrument, or utensil, used in and for the 
working and making of any such framework-knitted pieces, stockings, lace, or other articles or 



APPENDIX. 48 



W 



goods in the hosiery or framework-knitted stocking or framework lace manufactory; or shall 
wilfully and maliciously, and without having the consent or authority of the owner, break, or 
destroy any machinery contained in any mill or mills, used or any way employed in preparing of 
spinning of wool or cotton, or other materials for the use of the stocking or lace manufactory, 
every offender being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be adjudged to suffer the penalty of 
death. 

II. That every person, in whose house, or custody, or possession, any such frame, machine, or 
engine as aforesaid, (not being his or Jier property) shall be at the time of the destruction or 
damaging thereof, or of any stocking or lace-work in or on the same, and who shall not, within 
twenty-four hours after he or she shall have known of such destruction or damage being committed 
as aforesaid, give notice thereof to the owner of such frame, machine, or engine, if residing within 
twelve miles, or if such owner shall not reside within such distance, then to some known agent of 
such owner; and also within eighteen hours go before some justice of the peace or magistrate 
residing near the place where such destruction or damage shall have taken place as aforesaid, to be 
examined upon oath as to every matter or thing relating to the committing of such destruction and 
damage, and his knowledge thereof, and of all particulars relating thereto, which may lead to the 
discovery of the offender therein, every such person shall, (unless such individual shall assign 
reasonable cause for not having given the information required,) for every such neglect, be deemed 
guilty of a misdemeanor, and every such offender being thereof lawfully convicted upon any 
indictment or information, may be punished as in cases of misdemeanor, by fine and imprison- 
ment, at the discretion of the court in which he shall be convicted; and every justice of the peace or 
magistrate before whom any such person shall so go, shall examine such person upon oath, (which 
oath every such justice of the peace or magistrate is hereby authorised to administer) as to his. 
knowledge of such damage or destruction, and of the persons committing the same, or of any 
particulars which may lead to the detection of the offenders therein ; and shall also allow the 
owner of the frame, machine, or engine, or agent if present, to put any question upon oath to 
such person for the discovery of the offender ; and if such owner or agent shall not have had 
sufficient notice to be present when such person came before the justice or magistrate for 
examination as aforesaid, such justice of the peace or magistrate shall, if required by the owner 
or agent aforesaid, again call such person before him for examination by the owner or agent 
aforesaid. 

III. That if any person examined by or before any justice of the peace or magistrate under 
this act as aforesaid, shall commit wilful perjury, or if any person shall suborn or procure any 
person to commit perjury in any such examination, every such person shall incur and suffer the 
like pains and penalties as are by law inflicted upon persons committing perjury and subornation 
or perjury. 

IV. That this act shall remain and continue in force until the first of March, 1814, and no 
longer. 

V. That this act may be altered, amended, or repealed, by any act or acts passed in this session 
of parliament." 

5S 



438 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



ABSTRACT OF AN ACT FOR PROTECTING STOCKING AND LACE FRAMES, S$c. 

Anno. 54, Geo. III. chap. 42, " An act to repeal an act of the fifty-second year of his present 
majesty, for the punishment of persons destroying stocking or lace frames, or any articles in such 
frames, and to make other provision instead thereof. — 20th December, 1813." 

Whereas an act was passed in the fifty-second year of his present majesty's reign, entitled <c An 
act for the more exemplary punishment of persons destroying or injuring any stocking or 
lace frames, or other machines, or engines, used in the framework-knitted manufactory , or 
any articles or goods in such frames, or machines ; to continue in force until the first day 
of March, one thousand, eight hundred and fourteen. And whereas it is expedient, that the 
said act should be repealed and other provision made instead thereof;* be it therefore enacted, 
That from and after the passing of this act, the said recited act shall be repealed, and the 
same is hereby repealed, save and except as to any thing done before the passing of this act, with 
respect to which the said act shall remain and be in full force and effect, as if this act had not 
been made. 

II. And be it futher enacted, That from and after the passing of this act, if any person or 
persons, shall by day or by night, enter by force into any house, shop, or place, with an intent to 
cut or destroy any framework-knitted pieces, stockings, or lace, or other articles, or goods, being 
in the frame, or upon any machine, or engine thereto annexed, or therewith to be used, or 
prepared for that purpose, or with an intent to break, or destroy any frame, machine, engine, tool, 
instrument, or utensil, used in and for the working and making of any such framework-knitted 
pieces, stockings, lace, or other articles, or goods in the hosiery, or framework-knitted manufactory, 
or shall wilfully, or maliciously, and without having the consent, or authority of the owner, destroy, 
or cut, with an intent to destroy or render useless any framework-knitted pieces, stockings, lace, 
or other articles, or goods being in the frame, or upon any machine, or engine as aforesaid, or 
prepared for that purpose, or shall wilfully and maliciously, and without having the consent, or 
authority of the owner, break, destroy, or damage, with an intent to destroy, or render useless, 
any frame, machine, engine, tool, instrument, or utensil, used in and for the working and making 
of any such framework-knitted pieces, stockings, lace, or other articles, or goods in the hosiery, 
or framework-knitted stocking, or framework lace manufactory ; or shall wilfully and maliciously 
and without having the consent and authority of the owner, break, or destroy any machinery 
contained in any mill, or mills used, or any way employed in preparing, or spinning of wool, or 
cotton, or other materials for the use of the stocking, or lace manufactory ; every offender being 
thereof lawfully convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be transported for life, or 
for such term of years not less than seven years, as the judge before whom such offender shall be 
tried, in his discretion shall adjudge and direct. 

III. And be it further enacted, That this act may be altered, amended, or repealed by any act 
or acts to be passed in this session of parliament." 

* Here om legislators shew their great wisdom, they pass an act in 1812, and find a necessity of repealing it in 1813. 



APPENDIX. 439 



THE PETITION TO OLIVER CROMWELL, 

@t tijt #ramriam , fe--femtttt*0, 

(Noticed Page 216.) 
to his highness the lord protector of the commonwealth of england, scotland and ireland, &c. 
The humble representation of the promoters and inventors of the art and mystery or trade of 
framework-knitting, or making of silk stockings, or other work in a frame or engine ; petitioners 
to your highness, that they may be united and incorporated by charter under the great seal of 
England, whereby their just right to the invention may be preserved from foreigners, the trade 
advanced, abuses therein suppressed, the benefit of the commonwealth by importation and 
exportation, and otherwise increased, and hundreds of poor families comfortably relieved by their 
several imployments about the same, who will otherwise be exposed to ruin, having no other calling 
to live of. 

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS, 

" Among all the civil ways of improvement of a commonwealth (next to agriculture) merchandise 
and manufactory (where and whensoever orderly regulated) in all ages and times, have been, and 
are most securely beneficial and prosperous during their cherishment and retention : But they are 
apt to become volant, as soon as flighted, or disordered, in neighbouring* places and regions, 
always hospitable to so welcome guests as bring with them not only their own entertainment, but 
also profitable advantages to their protectors. Leaving behind them unto the place of their former 
residence an over-late and remediless repentance of such improvidence, and most commonly an 
irrevocable consumption ; the experience whereof has anciently and generally made it a principal 
maxim in state, to encourage by all favorable means requisite, the erectors and practisers of 
trading ; and has notified for one of the greatest errors in state government, the discountenancing 
and disordering thereof. 

Whence in succession of time (from antiquity of all records) the great variety and multitude of 
incorporations, overspreading the face of all eminent parts of the civilly governed world, flourishing 
under the favor and protection of the several princes and estates thereof, each province striving to 
exceed its neighbours in numerosity of them, and enlargement of all convenient privileges, and 
powers grantable unto them, and reaping innumerable benefits at the cheap rate of countenance, 
encouragement, and protection of the industrious labours of the natives ; who in retribution unto 
the state for licence and privilege to earn their own subsistancies, do disburden the commonwealth 
(by employment or maintenance) of many poor, l\eep themselves in closer order and less circum- 
ference then others, in ready ability for public service, pay all public charges and impositions ; 
draw commerce into their country with profit nnto the state by importation and exportation, and 
furnish their own and all others necessities with useful commodities. So (and many ways much 
more) profitable is encouraged and well governed industry, which if discouraged, and denied order 
in the practice, prosecution and exercise thereof; it sometimes has (and ever will) most certainly 



* Many places have bad their vicissitudes of prosperity and decay, occasioned by access or receding of trade, as witnesses (among many o(her) 
Gaunt in Flanders, and those towns from whence the Euglish staple has removed. 



440 HISTORY OP NOTTINGHAM. 



become a disadvantage, weakening, and impoverishment to the commonwealth, and an advancement, 
strength, and enrichment of the neighbours who are, or may prove enemies. 

In prevention whereof, all nations who live not in absolute slavery to their sovereigns, but enjoy 
a propriety in their estates and goods, by claiming also a right of propriety in the fruits of their 
own endeavours (which was never yet denied but to the great prejudice of the contradictors) have 
provided and do allow, that as they severally and successively arrive to any assured profit, they are 
included within their own territories and appropriated unto the particular deservers, with grants in 
perpetuity of the regulation of affairs in trade, meerly as matter of power, or the immediate 
ministers thereof, unless for justice against infringers and invaders of such establishments as have 
been to that purpose obtained. And it has been (and remaineth) a great part of the felicity of 
England, that by the grave advice and appropriation of the state, it abounds with indulgend 
presidents and provisions of this kind, to the great encouragement and comfort both of present and 
future industries. 

Whereby the petitioners are emboldened (now at length) to offer to your Highness's consideration 
and grave judgement, the fulness of capacity they humbly conceive themselves to have been in, to 
receive the like grant of favor, trust, and protection, which many other companies have (upon fewer 
and less weighty inducements) obtained ; and whereof there is apparent necessity, their trade being 
no longer manageable by them, nor securable unto the profit of this commonwealth, without it. 

Which trade is properly stiled framework-knitting, because it is direct and absolute knitwork in 
the stitches thereof, nothing different therein from the common way of knitting (not much more 
anciently for public use practised in this nation than this) but only in the numbers of needles, at 
an instant working in this, more than in the other by an hundred for one, set in an engine or frame 
composed of above 2000 pieces of smith, joiners' and turners' work, after so artificial and exact a 
manner, that by the judgement of all beholders, it far excels in the ingenuity, curiosity, and 
subtilty of the invention and contexture, all other frames or instruments of manufacture in use in 
any known part of the world. And for the skill requisite to the use and manage thereof, it well 
deserves (without usurpation as some others impertinently have) the titles of mystery and art, by 
reason of the great difficulty of learning, and length of time necessary, to attain a dextrous habit 
of right, true and exquisite workmanship therein, which has preserved it hitherto (from the hands 
of foreigners) peculiar to the English nation, from whence it has extraction, growth, and breeding 
unto that perfection it is now arrived at. Not only able to serve your Highness's dominions with 
the commodities it mercantably works, but also the neighbouring countries round about, where it 
has gained so good repute, that the vent thereof is now more foreign than domestic, and has drawn 
covetous eyes upon it, to undermine it here and to transport it beyond the seas. Of whose sinister 
workings to that pernicious end, these petitioners (as most interested) standing in the nearest sent, 
think themselves in the common duty of well-affected persons to your Highness and their country 
(besides their own case of necessity) bound to make address unto the wisdom, protection and care 
of your Highness (as their predecessors in former times have done to the rulers of this nation) 
speedily to restrain and suppress all attempts, to bring so great a detriment and inconveniency 
upon the commonwealth. 



APPENDIX. 441 



NOW SO IT IS, AND MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS, 

That the trade of framework-knitting was never known or practised either here in England, or 
in any other place in the world, before it was (above fifty years past) invented and found out by 
one William Lea, of Calverton, in the county of Nottingham, gent, who by himself and such of 
his kindred and countrymen as he took unto him for servants, practised the same many years, 
somewhat imperfectly in comparison of the exactness it is sithence brought unto, by the endeavours 
of some of these petitioners. Yet even in the infancy thereof, it gathered sufficient estimation of a 
business of so extraordinary a national profit and advantage, as to be invited over into France, 
upon allurements of great rewards, privilege and honor; not long before the sudden murther of 
the late French King Henry the Fourth, unsuccessfully accepted by the said Mr. Lea, (at that 
time wanting due encouragement at home.) And transporting himself with nine workmen his 
servants (with some frames) unto Roan ; there wrought to so great applause of the French, that 
the trade was in all likelihood to have been settled in that country for ever, had not the decease of 
the said king disappointed Mr. Lea of his expected grant of privilege, and the succeeding troubles 
of that kingdom, delayed bis renewed suit to that purpose, into discontentment and death at Paris 
leavirg his workmen at Roan to provide for themselves, seven of which returned back again into 
England with their frames, and here practised and improved their trade; under whom, (or the master 
workmen since risen under them) most of these petitioners had their breeding and served their 
apprenticeships. Of the other two which remained in France only one is yet surviving : but so 
far short of the perfection of his trade (as it is used here) that of him, or what can be done by him, 
or his means, these petitioners are in no apprehension of fear, nor have not been (since then) 
endangered in foreign countries by any that have served out their full time of apprenticeship here. 

But near about that time a Venetian ambassador gave 5G0Z. for a remnant of time of one Henry 
Mead, then an apprentice to this trade, and conveyed him with his frame from London to Venice, 
where although his work and the manner of it was for a while admired, and endeavoured to be 
imitated ; yet as soon as necessity of reparation of his frame and instruments happened, for want 
of artificers experienced in such work there, and of ability in him to direct them, the work 
prospered not in his managing ; so that (his bought time of service being expired) affection to his 
native country brought him home again into England. After his departure the Venetians grew 
disheartened, and impatient of making vain trials, they sent his disordered frame and some of their 
own imitation to be sold in London at a very low valuation. 

And within a few years afterwards the trade was greatly endangered by one Abraham Jones, 
who having by underhand courses and insinuations (and not by servitude as an apprentice,) o-otten 
both the mystery and skillful practice thereof, did (contrary to the articles with the rest of the 
company that had taken some jealous notice of him) pass himself with some more unto Amsterdam, 
and there taking some Dutch unto him as servants, erected frames, and wrought for the space of 
two or three years, until the infection of the plague seized on him and his whole family and 
carried them all to the grave. His frames also (as things unprofitable to them that could not find 
out their right use without an able teacher) were sent to London for sale at slight rates. 

These preservations and escapes of this trade from transplantation into foreign countries, these 

5T 



442 HISTOllY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



petitioners do with thankfulness acknowledge, and ascribe to have been brought by the divine 
providence, limiting his bounties and administration, ; whither he has been pleased to direct them. 
For it may well seem marvellous in human judgement, how otherwise this trade should remain 
(notwithstanding all the covetous and envious attempts to the contrary practised for the space of 
forty years past,) an art peculiar to only this our nation : And to the nimble spirits of the French, 
the fertile wits of the Italian, and the industrious inclination of the Dutch, a concealed mystery 
unto this day. 

Yet a continued negligence in presumption thereupon, would ill beseem the receivers of so many 
damageless warnings, and may soon prove of hard consequence unto these petitioners who without 
intermission are environed with the like or greater dangers. For there are by other means than 
the way of apprenticeship, so many intruders crept into this .trade, that ill work and ill ware is 
every where offered to sale ; and the ignouiiny and disparagement thereof, commonly imputed to 
the whole manufactury, not without much loss, hinderance, and interruption of the true and allow- 
able artisans, and tending to their utter impoverishment who in continual workmanship produce 
the best, finest, and most approvedly merchantable and useful wares ever sold and bought in the 
memory of men, otherwise the petitioners could not have driven their trade through many oppositions 
and difficulties, up unto the height it is now brought, and into fair expectation and open way of 
large increase, if intrusion were barred, and transportation and teaching of the mystery unto 
foreigners restrained, and none of this our nation, either artisan, apprentice, or intruder, be 
permitted so mischievously, to seek for gain. 

As one here in London makes his profession and custom to do; exposing himself a teacher of 
this art and trade for any inconsiderable parcel of money, untp all manner of people without 
distinction, whether native or not, hitherto uncontroulably; nor to inveigle and corrupt apprentices 
from their masters, to discover and teach unto them the whole trade ; (and having gotten it) pretend 
upon scruple of conscience in matters of religion, or some other occasion, to depart your 
Highness's dominions, and set it up in practice in a foreign country ; as one not long since has 
done, whom these petitioners are labouring all they may to reduce, and are not hopeless to find 
prevalent means to recover him back again time enough, if they receive encouragement in this 
their humble suit. Wherein they farther shew : 

That although this manufacture may be wrought in any other materials that are usually made 
up (or can possibly be made up) into the form of knit-work : Yet has it chosen to be practised in 
silk, the best and richest of all others in use and wearing, and most crediting the artisans, and of 
greatest advantage unto this state and commonwealth, yielding several payments to the use of the 
state before it passes out of the hands of the traders therein, and increasing merchandise by both 
the ways of importation and exportation of the self-same material, imported raw at cheap rates, 
exported ready wrought at the utmost extent of value ; so that the distance of those valuations is 
totally clear gain to this commonwealth, and esteemed upwards of six parts in seven of the whole 
quantity of this material in the highest value thereof, wrought up by this manufacture; which has 
indicated that old proverbial aspersion : — The stranger buys of the Englishman the case of the 
fox for a groat, and sells him the tail again for a shilling. And may now invert &nd retort 



APPENDIX. 445 



upon them : — The Englishman buys silk of the stranger for twenty marks, and sells him the 
$a?ne again for one hundred pounds. 

That this trade encourages and sets on work other artificers also ; as smiths, joiners and turners, 
for the making, erecting, and repairing of frames, and other necessary instruments thereunto 
belonging, and has bred up many excellent workmen among them for farther public service. 

That the artisans of this trade, do moreover employ a multitude of hands besides their own about 
the preparation and finishing of the materials and ware they work : On which do compleatly subsist 
and thrive : The winders, throwers, sizers, saamers and trimmers thereof: And also the needle- 
makers totally depend thereon. 

That although these petitioners seem in the eyes of the world, to be at present under a cloud 
and every moment ready to be undone by intruders and foreigners, so that many people fear and 
forbear to bind their children apprentices unto a trade of such instant hazard and irregularity, until 
a settlement thereof, under a corporation, to the great retarding an increase of able artisans, who 
are therefore but few in number, in comparison of the knitters the way common to other nations ; 
yet do they subsist by the labours in a more substantial and serviceable degree to the commonwealth, 
disburdening it of many poor of both sexes. Whereas that common tedious way multiplies needy 
persons here, rather because the people of other nations, outwork those of this herein, than by any 
hinderance they receive from the best artisans of the manufactory that bend their endeavours all 
they can to the foreign vent in general, as well as, in their own particulars most profitable to this 
nation, leaving the home sale in great part to the common knitters, uninterrupted, unless by the 
intruders into this art, whose multiplications (if not restrained) will be equally as pernicious and 
destructive unto them as unto the petitioners; who only (and not the common knitters) have shewed 
unto this commonwealth, that it is able abundantly to serve itself and ultra with all commodities 
of knit-work, as stockings, calceoons , waistcoats, and many other things, without the help, or 
rather inconveniency it formerly had of importation of the same in quantities ready wrought from 
foreign parts. 

That this trade is in no kind impertinent or damageable to the commonwealth, nor driven in 
trifling, base and unnecessary stun or ware, seeing all the world (where habits are worn) is in 
general and permanent use thereof: but to the contrary, it works on the principal of stuffs, and 
makes commodious and decent ware for the cover of the whole body of men, perpetually unchange- 
able in the fashion, endeavouring (as much as in the artisan lies) to found an unexhaustible mine 
within this nation already prepared to become, (if it shall please your Highness to establish it) 
henceforth the place of sole resort, as to a special mart, of the rich and staple commodities wrought 
by this manufacture, for the general service of all the great, honorable and better sorts of inhabitants 
of the whole communicable world. 

That the petitioners have made a large and competent probation of the worth of this manufacture 
in itself, and merit thereof to the commonwealth, (for the proportion of its growth) far exceeding 
any other that trades with foreigners in their own materials, extracting from them (to the use of 
this commonwealth, and the maintenance of the people of this land, at foreign charge) upwards of 
fourscore in every hundred de claro of the whole value now, or that may be hereafter, upon a 



444 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM* 

———■«-»—— i ■■ i ■■ m i — ■i»ii»ii-m»»«3 ■ i» m .——— ■—■■—« — a— — — I 

regular way of trading, dealt in, and defraying out of the other parcel of the hundred, being lese 
then twenty current, all customs, imposts, and freights, both homeward and outwards, and also 
reserving the remainder of the twenty, to the manage of the merchant for as much unwrought 
material. Which eighty, in quick passages and returns of home trade, (by the way twice accounted 
for unto the officers of excise) suddenly and insensibly diffuses and disperses itself through very 
many hands, either totally maintaining, or otherwise adding to the subsistences of many other 
severally (in part) before enumerated trades and professions, besides this manufacture, the prime 
wheel, gathering only thereby an ordinary ability, to make the rest move : viz. merchants, owner* 
of ships, hosiers, dyers, winders, throwsters, sizers, seamers, trimmers, wire-drawers, needle- 
makers, smiths, joiners, turners, with many other assistants, all having their sufficient contents and 
enablements to live out of the clear product of the foreign vent, raised and furnished by the labours 
of the petitioners and their servants ; who have voluntarily among themselves kept order in their 
trading, according to the duty of probationers (hitherto) without making any request unto the 
state for particular countenance and protection, until they found themselves now risen into a 
number not incapable of incorporation ; and their trade into foreign parts of so great and growing 
increase (were the momentary dangers of utter ruin, for want of regulating power diverted) that 
it may well be esteemed the most improveable way of benefit and advantage of this kind, apparent 
to this present age, and (within some late hundreds of years past) offered unto this nation, and 
presented unto the state, (as this now is unto your Highness) for an inclosure within the boundary 
of its native soil, where it may receive its proper husbandry. 

That if these petitioners had no other inducement to offer, but what every other trade which 
is (common also to foreigners) in fear to be over-wrought and outsold by them, has heretofore 
presented, as motives, and means to obtain charters and privileges, and consequent provisions by 
statute, upon reasons drawn from conveniencies accruing by civil education of some youth of the 
land, employment of idle persons, serving this commonwealth with commodities better wrought 
here, than those transported hither from beyond the seas, and maintaining many of our people at 
home with the same money which foreigners did get away from hence for the maintenance of 
theirs : yet might the petitioners (in confidence of the right of subjects) sue for power subordinately 
(according to the laws and constitutions of this land) to regulate their own endeavours in a 
company and fraternity among themselves* But these petitioners stand not in the same sole 
capacity, that the pin makers, and others did, at the time of their incorporations. For these have 
(additionally thereunto) an higher merit towards the commonwealth, whose interest in all the 
fore-mentioned extraordinary advantages and benefits, and in the further uses of them is annexed 
unto the prosperity of this manufacture, and wholly depending thereon. Insomuch that the 
petitioners (in their humble suit) do plead unto your Highness, a general cause of the 
commonwealth in gross, for an inestimable concernment to all posterity, and crave in their own to 
be but barely to be preserved, as their lawful endeavours have qualified them, the temporary 
instruments and servitours to that public use. Which they may reasonably hope, shall not now 
(first of all sorts of men, ever petitioning semblable favor) begin to be refused unto them, who 
have not been wanting to the commonwealth in the main service thereof, during its late extremities 



APPENDIX. 445 



of danger, but have all been faithful to their country in every thing according to their utmost 
abilities, and have many of them undergone much loss of worldly goods, and of peril of life, by and 
against the common enemy, and some of them continue in military office to this day. 

And seeing the mistress of knowledge, experience, has taught that the sole proprietary of a 
generally desired commodity, has a master key to command the lock of trading ; which whosoever 
can prudently manage, has no small mastery over the wealth of the universe ; and seeing that this 
art of framework-knitting here in England (as printing formerly in Germany out-wrought all the 
manual writers in the world) is likewise able to outwork all the common knitters among all nations, 
and make the commodity (without divulging of the mystery) generally desirable and entertained 
(as that other was here) with grace and privilege of importation (by provision of statute, 1st of 
Richard the Third, cap. 9.) and seeing this is much more capable of secreting, than that, by reason 
of the great difficulty to attain this with long practice, and the facility of the other to be conceived 
at first sight. This arising in an entire dominion, and that other in a region full of divided 
principalities. This is endued with a quality retentive, to continue for many ages, if not ever, 
(although the other could not so in Germany) a peculiar in propriety unto this nation of England. 
Therefore it is fit to be owned as a native (by the hand of your Highness) established in the rank, 
and as the nonpareil of handicrafts, to be taken into your possession inclusively within your power 
of command and special protection, who is herein not slightly concerned, because intrusted to 
husband the Common-wealth, and is the balance of reason to distinguish between the allegations 
and aims of good and bad patriots. Some striving to scatter abroad (about all the earth) that 
harvest, whereof others desire the storing in a magazine; and some urging the same exploded 
clamours against the use of engines in trading, which the file and hammer workers of a single pin 
did heretofore, to divert or retard the privileging the company of pin-makers, in opposition to 
those that now sue and refer themselves to be considered according to discretion at home, for what 
they might write their own conditions every where abroad ; if piety to their native country, as* 
strongly restrained not them, as they implore the coercive power of your Highness to restrain their 
iil-wiiJers from unravelling the entrails of the Common-wealth, and giving or yielding opportunity 
unto strangers, to gather them up, and make that common to all the world, which is naturally 
particular in sole propriety to this nation and prepared for the management of your highness in 
such manner, as in your highness's wisdom and great favor shall be thought expedient for the best 
advantage of this Common-wealth, ever in thriving condition and flourishing by exportation of 
commodities, as well artificially as naturally appropriated unto this island not unknown to your 
highness to have suffered some late decay in the main support of its foreign trading, which may 
receive a great supply and increase by means of good encouragement of this manufacture, only in 
present necessity of the like protection and privileges, that have been granted, confirmed, and are 
enjoyed by many others, though of foreign invention and use, and never in possibility of becoming, 
as this is solely from hence impartable unto all other nations: 

All which is humbly submitted to your highness's pleasure, with great hopes that you will 
graciously patronise and cherish the honest endeavours of such as aim at the public good, 
as well as their own private interest, And your petitioners shall ever pray. 



446 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



TWIST-NET LACE. 

In the body of this history, where speaking of the Nottingham trade, a pledge was given, that 
the twist-net should be properly noticed before the work was compleated. The reason why the 
article was not given under the head " Trade," was a desire expressed on the part of several 
gentlemen interested in the issue of the then pending suit of Brown versus Moore and Co. regarding 
the right of patent on the part of the plaintiff, which was tried before Mr. Justice Gibbs, in the 
Court of Common Pleas, on the 1st of March, 1816, when the right of patent was quashed on the 
part of the plaintiff, on the ground of false claims to originality; since which this branch of trade 
has been open to the public. It was my intention too, to have given a minute description of the 
twist machine ; but this upon further investigation, I find would be a most difficult task and not 
attended with much use, for among the numerous establishments for the manufacturing of this net 
already in full activity, there are not two of these establishments, I believe, the machines of which 
are true patterns of those of another. Therefore to give a description of the machines of one 
concern on!}', would be considered invidious by some and nonsensical by others ; while to describe 
the ichole would have too much the appearance of book making, and vanity for me to contemplate 
for a moment ; J shall therefore confine myself principally to the history of the business. 

Mr. John Morris, of Nottingham, whose name has been frequently mentioned in this work, 
obtained a patent for the manufacturing of twist-net in or about the year 1782, and a legal 
instrument which I have seen, acknowledges on the part of the said Mr. Morris, that James 
Tarratt, framework-knitter of this town, was his mechanic on the occasion, on which account, a 
sum of money, partly dependent on the success of the undertaking was assigned to him. The 
object was to manufacture ladies' dresses; but as Mr. Tarratt candidly informed me, it failed for 
want of speed; nor could they traverse the threads more than one mesh. Mr. Robert Brown, 
framework-knitter, of this town, also obtained a patent for making this kind of net, about the year 
1803, but the concern was not prosperous, nor could he traverse his threads more than one mesh. 
But there is a very great reason to believe, that the object of making- the real twist-net upon a 
machine, was not furthered in the least by their efforts ; the one being forgotten, and the other 
considered of little value. Indeed, I believe these patentees never extended their views so far as 
that of manufacturing what is now known by the name of twist-net lace. 

The first person who produced the bobbin, so essential to the formation of this net, was it 
appears Mr. John Lindley, framework-knitter of this town ; for I have now by me a bobbin, being 
one of a small set which he made, and with which he produced a small portion of the present 
description of bobbin-net in the year 1799 : the bobbin in my possession has been shewn to 
various mechanics in this branch of business ; and from its formation and appearance all are 
satisfied that it is an original.* The net thus produced, Mr. Lindley shewed to his uncle Mr. 
Charles Lacy, (lacemanufacturer, and subsequently joint patentee with Mr. Heathcote,) who 



* I have also a carriage and a bobbin in it made I believe by a person of the name of Huod, ao early as the year 1803, which v.as sotac 
\ears before the grant of the first patent. 



APPENDIX. 447 



remarked, that as the point-net was then paying- very well, he did not like to trouble himself with 
any thing new at that time. Thus the matter fell to the ground, which appears very singular from 
the subsequent conduct of Mr. Lacy : such however is the temper of the human mind, that we 
frequently reject one day, what we seize with avidity another. Notwithstanding the foregoing- 
circumstances the manufacturing this net upon the machine is principally owing to the exertions of 
Mr. John Heathcote, who during the greater part of the time in which he invented his machinery, 
was a working setter-up in this town. When Mr. Heathcote had brought his invention to- 
something like perfection, he applied for encouragement to Mr. Charles Lacy, before-mentioned, 
who embraced the golden offer, and they jointly obtained a patent for the application of their 
machinery, I believe in 1807,* and shortly after established a manufactory at Loughborough ; 
notwithstanding the machinery was brought thus far into a state of perfection, in the manufacturing 
of the twist-net, in as much as the great obstacle to traversing the threads from side to side was 
overcome ; but it is a matter of doubt whether Mr. Heathcote hitherto was acquainted with the use 
of the bobbin ; because his machines were obliged to be confined to a very narrow width, and thus 
rendered the net produced from them of comparatively less value. Although Mr. Lindley invented 
the bobbin and applied it as before stated, yet it appears that his invention was completely isolated 
and forgotten, and that the bobbin was introduced by another person, and brought into use 
independent of Mr. Heathcote or Mr. Lindley's discoveries. 

The success attending Mr. Heathcote's efforts in this very intricate undertaking, induced many 
other men of strong mechanical genius, in and about Nottingham, to apply their talents to the 
making of this net, several of whom succeeded ; particularly Mr. John Brown, a framework- 
knitter, who receiving encouragement from the late Mr. William Nunn, they in conjunction 
obtained a patent for an improved method of making the net, and in consequence brought an action 
against Messrs. Moore and Co. as before noticed, for using machinery of their invention. Had 
Mr. Brown confined his specification to his o«n invention, nothing couid have shaken his claims, 
and he would have enjoyed the profit as well as the credit, of his own ingenuity ; but unfortunately 
for himself he had laid claim in his specification, to parts of machinery and frames, many years 
previously in use: — the merit of his invention consisted in applying circular instruments in different 
branches, working in a planetary motion, which enables the workman to traverse diagonally any 
breadth he pleases, with the additional advantage of giving selvages to such breadths. 

From the number of machines already employed in this branch of the Nottingham trade, and 
their different construction, it cannot be expected that every minor improvement should be mentioned, 
suffice it to say that the principal parts of the machine have been traced to their origin, and to 
those persons whose names have been mentioned, I conceive the great merit of invention is 
due. 



* Mr. Heathcote in November, 1815, promised tlie author to furnish him with every information on this subject, on condition of his not 
publishing any thiii5 iclatire to the twist-net until the dispute between Messrs. Moore and Brown was decided ; but Mr. Heathcote having- 
failed in his promise, the above date and svme other questions a-re left in doubt, 



44:8 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



FOREST OF SHIRE WOOD. 

From the brevity of the sketch of this forest, page 37, having been complained of; the author 
has been induced to transcribe Dr. Thoroton's historical description of it, and to subjoin a copy 
of a perambulation of its boundaries made in the reign of king Henry the Eighth. 

" When this forest of Shirewood was first made I find not; the first mention of it that I do find is 
in Henry the second's time, but I conceive it a forest before, for William Peverell in the first year 
of Henry the second (which is mistaken for the fifth year of king Stephen) doth answer de Placitis 
Forestae in this county. It seems he had the whole profit and command of this forest for his estate, 
which, after coming to the crown, the sheriff, 8 H. 2, in the account of his farm prays to be 
discharged of £4. in vasto Forestae ; and in the tenth year of the same king's reign he prays the 
like discharge of £4:. for the waste, as also allowance of £6. 5s. paid to the constable, eight 
foresters, and a warrener, and to the canons of Shirewood for alms £40. which I conceive to be 
the prior and monks of Newstede, then newly founded by Henry the Second. In the next year 
the sheriff of the county Randulphus filius Engelrami answers de censu Forestae; and in the 
twelfth year, Robert de Caltz, Lord of Laxton, a fermor, answers for it £20, and 15 H. 2, 
Reginaldus de Luci answers the like sum of £20 pro censu Forestae in both which years Robert 
Fitz-Randulph was sheriff, In the ancient written forest books of this county there is the copy of 
a charter made by King John when he was Earl of Morteyne to Matilda de Caux, and Ralph 
Fitz-Stephen her husband, and to her heirs, of all the liberties and free customs which any of the 
ancesters of the said Maud held at any time in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, viz. all the forest 
of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, as their ancestors ever held the same. It came to John 
Birking as heir to this Maud, so to Thomas Birking his son and- heir, about 11 H. 3. and shortly 
after to Everingham, who thereby claimed Custodiam Forestarum Regis in Com. Nottingham and 
Derby, which I conceive contains no more but this forest of Shirewood, the rest being disafforested 
by Henry the Third, in the sixth vear of his reign, in the sum of the statute of Charte de Forestae. 
With this Everingham heir to Birking and Caux it continued till Edward the First's time, and then 
was seized as forfeited. Since the guardianship hath been granted by the princes to noblemen and 
o-entlemen as a character of their especial favor, the state of this fostership of Everinghams, and of 
the whole forest appears in an inquisition taken by Geoffrey Langley, the kings then justice in 
eyre of his forests beyond Trent ; for the forest officers of Shirewood there find that there be three 
keepers in the forest, First, between Leene and Doverbecke. Secondly, the High Forest The 
third, Rumwood. Robert Everingham, chief keeper of the forest, ought to have a chief servant 
sworn, going through all the forest at the costs of Robert, to attach all trespasses, and present them 
at the attachments before the verderors. In the first keeping between Leene and Doverbecke he 
ought to have one forester riding with a page and two foresters on foot ; and there be two 
verderors, and two agisters. In this keeping there be three hayes, Beskwood Hay, Lindeby Hay, 
and Willay Hay. The second keeping is the High Forest. In this Robert Everingham is to have 
two foresters riding with two pages, and two foresters on foot, and there be also two verderors, and 
two agisters. In this keeping are two hayes, Birkland and Billahay, and the park of Clipston, and 



APPENDIX. 449 



in these hayes and parke two verderors, and two agisters, In the third keeping Rumwoodc, 
Robert Everingham ought to have one forester on foot, and there be two woodwards, one of 
Carburton, another of Budby, and two verderors, and two agisters. Robert Everingham ought 
also to have a page bearing his bow through all the forest to gather chiminage. The perambulation 
of this forest was upon the commission of 16 H. 3, thus set forth, viz. at Coningswath ford, so by 
the highway towards Wellay Hagh towards Nottingham, leaving out the close of the town of 
Wellay, from thence by that way to Blackstone Haugh, from thence to that place where the river 
of Doverbecke goes over that way, and so from thence as the river of Doverbecke goes into Trent. 
Westerly from the ford of Coningswath by the water called Mayden to the town of Warksope, and 
so by the same water to the parke of Plesley Hagh, so up the same river to Otter Brigges, from 
thence by the great highway of Nottingham to the mill ford, from thence to Mayneshead, from 
thence betwixt the fields of Hardwick and Kirkeby to the corner that is called Nun Carre, from 
thence by the assert of Ed wan Brittayne to the Earl Stigh, and from thence to Stolegate, from 
thence by the great highway under the castle of Annesley, from thence by the great highway to 
the town of Linbye, through the midst of the town to the water of Leine, so to Lenton, and from 
thence by the same water, as it was wont of old time to run into the water of Trent, and so along 
the river of Trent to the fall of Doverbecke, saving Wellay Hay, and other the kings demesne 
woods in the county of Nottingham. This I have rather done that most men may know when they 
are within, and when without the forest. And although there were some deaffbrestations after, yet 
were they resumed, so as the old perambulation stands at this day without any remarkable alteration. 
There have not been many justice seats in the forest of Shire wood ; those that 1 have met withal I 
shall here observe. The first was in Henry the Second's time before Hugh Bishop of Durrham, 
Robert Bishop of Lincolne, and Robert Earl of Leicester. The next I find was in Henry the 
Third's time before Robert Nevill and his fellow justices. The next after that was 15 E. 1, before 
William Vescy and his fellows ; and of this justice seat the rolls of are extant with the chamberlains 
of the Exchequer in the Tally Office, as also the rolls of the next justice seat of 8 E. 3, before 
Ralph Nevill and his fellows. The next justice seat I can meet with is 21 H. 7, before Simon 
Stalworth, and John Collier, Clarks, Robert Nevill, and John Port or Porter, and before them as 
deputies and lieutenants of Sir Thomas Lovell, guardian and chief forester, and the justice of the 
forest of our lord the king of Shirewood. But his seat I cannot find recorded in any place, although 
I made diligent enquiry for it upon a claim there for the town of Nottingham, and upon conference 
with William Noy, the late atturney-general to his majesty that now is, he told vne it was no where 
to be found where he had seen, I have seen some claims, as the beginning of another justice seat 
for this particular forest, 26 H. 8, before Thomas the first Earl of Rutland, but no further 
proceeding therein that I could learn. The last upon record in the Exchequer in the same Tally 
Office is a book, wherein is entred the claims and commencement of a justice seat here before the 
then Lord Crumwell, the kings then chief justice in eyre of his forests on the north side of Trent. 
The state of this forest at this present consists of a warden, his lieutenant, and his steward, a bow 
bearer, and a ranger, four verderors, twelve regarders, so reduced to the number of twelve by an 
ordinance made in Edwards the First's time by William Vescy and his fellows, four agisters, and 

&X 



4*30 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 

inwimwimrnrniTtTWiM— mttii - — I n i j ii n i m i i jljh ijji. u i hi jwm pim^^— mi wh hi— wi m«tm\ i i n i m n hit urn r mTrrrimi'-n'f ■-t\ --t i h > h ii.i> «cn-J 1wmJLJ-iLiB_iMajiaOELmiMLM^ 

twelve keepers or foresters in the main forest ; besides there are now four keepers in Thorney 
Woods, where anciently there were bat two, one of the North Bayle, another of the south, they 
are all reduced under the chief forester the Earl of Chesterfeild and his heirs, whose father Sir 
John Stanhoppe had the same granted in fee, with liberty to destroy and kill at their pleasures, 
reserving an hundred deer in the whole walk. There are also besides the forest keepers three in 
Beskwood park, that before Edward the Thirds time was an hay or wood uninclosed, but since it was 
imparked, the general keeper of the park hath had the command of the other keepers, as I presume 
the genera! forester of the hay had before, for I find Richardus de Strelley was forester there 2 E. 
3. There is also one other keeper of Nottingham parke, one other of Clipston parke. The twelve 
forester keepers are these, one of Maunsfeilde, one of Maunsfeilde Woodhouse, one of Annesley 
hills and Newstede, one of Papplewicke, one of Rum wood and Oswald, one of Rughford, one of 
Billahay, one of Kirklond, one of Calverton, one of Farnesfeilde, one of Langton Arbour and 
Blidworth, and one of Sutton in Ashefeikl. The castle and the park of Nottingham was granted 
to the late Ear! Francis of Rutland, and is now the inheritance of the Dutchess of Buckingham 
his daughter and heir. Clipston park is now the inheritance of the Earl of Newcastle, who is 
the present warden of this forest, and his are also the perpetual placing of the keeper of Rumwood 
and Oswald. The keepership of Rughford is the inheritance of Sir William Savile, lord of 
Rughford. Annesley Mills, Papplewick, and Newstede are granted to Sir John Byron, lord of 
Newstede, and the rest of the walks are in the disposition of the warden of the forest. There are 
besides, as members of the forest, several woodwards for every township within the forest, and for 
every principal wood one." 

u It would not be impertinent to set down how that in the beginning of the reign of King Henry 
the Second, Ranulph the sheriff*. Hugh de Buyrun, Raph de Hanselin, Robert de Ferreriis, 
Raph de Annesley, Galfr. de le Fremunt, Raph de Heronvill, Hugh Fitz-Wlviet, Robert de 
Hoveringham, Alexander Fitz-Toche, Simon Fitz Richard, Robert de Ripera, Richard de Croxton, 
William de Herys, Walter de Ainundevill, Sampson de Stcreley, Gervas Fitz-Richard de Mucy, 
Ingelram, the brother of Sheriff, Hugh Fitz-Roger, William Fitz-Reyner, Hugh Fitz-Albred, 
Hardewin, and Gaufr. de Staunton, swore at. Nottingham in the presence of Robert Earl of 
Leicester, who on the part of the King commanded them that they should tell the truth concern nig- 
gle customs and liberties which the land of the archbishop (of York) which is in Nottinghamshire, 
and the archbishop himself had in the same shire, in the time of King Henry the elder (viz. the 
first) and the year and day wherein that King Henry the first was alive and dead. And after they, 
had sworne, they said, That the whole land of the archbishop was without the forest, which was 
contained between the bounds underwritten ; as Doverbeck falleth into Trent, and on the upper 
part from the water of Doverbeck unto Ciningeswad, as the way of silyth goes, and all that land 
which is beyond Ciningeswad, and beyond the aforesaid way, was out of the forest unto Bykersdike, 
so that no forester of the Kings could intermeddle on the Kings part concerning that land, but the 
archbishop and his men did freely both essart and do what they would with it as their own. And 
out of the afore-named bounds in the old forest, the archbishop did hunt nine daies in the year, viz. 
three against Christmas, three against Easter, and three against Whitsunday, through the whole 






APPENDIX. 451 



BmtM i <wwnT " ' f i r r' n nw i i*wmm 



wood of Blythworth, and in that wood of Blyth worth the archbishop, and his canons, and his men, 
had ail the attachments without wast [guasto] and had their proper foresters, and aiery.es of hawks, 
and pa image : this was sealed by Robert Bishop of Lincolne, and Hugh Bishop of Durrham. 
John Romanus archbishop of York, 15 E. 1. by Hugh de Stapleford his Atturney, had great 
pleading before William de Vescy, Thomas <le Normanvile, and Richard de Crepping, Justices in 
Eyre, concerning his holding Pleas of Vert in his Court of Southwell, and many other privileges : 
As William de Melton, one of his successours, Archbishop of York, by William de Southwell his 
atturney, had 8 E. 3. before Raph de Nevill, Richard de Aldeburgh, and Peter de Midleton, as 
may be seen at large in the rolls of both these justice seats in the Tally Office. But 1 shall not be 
further particular in exhibiting any further collections on this subject, because the pleasant and 
glorious condition of this noble forest is now wonderfully declined. And there is at present, and 
long hath been, a justice seat, which is not yet finished, and therefore cannot now be rendred a 
good account of, held under my Lords Grace the Duke of Newcastle, justice in eyre of all his 
majesties forests, &c. Trent north, wherein it seems his deputies or lieutenants have allowed such 
and so many claims, that there will not very shortly be wood enough left to cover the bilberries, 
which every summer were wont to be an extraordinary great profit and pleasure to poor people, 
who gathered them and carried them all about the country to sell : I shall therefore at this time 
say no more, May 24, 1675." 

PERAMBULATION. 

A perambulacion of the fforrest of Sheerewood made the nineth day of September in the 
Thirtyeth year of the Reigne of King Henry the Eighth (by the grace of God of England and 
ffrance King defender of the faith Lord of Ireland and Supreme head upon earth of the English 
Church ;) Bv Robert Brymesley, Gabriel Bervvicke, Richard Perepoint Esqr's ; Alexander 
Merring, Christopher ffitzrandole, Robert Whitemore, John Walker, Manrite Orrell, John Garnon, 
John Palmer Gentlemen ; Robert Levett, William Mellars, Robert Rawson, John Losscowe, John 
Bristow, and Robert North, Regarders of the said fforrest of Sheerewood. Which perambulation 
begun at the Kings Castle of Nottingham. And passing from thence unto the Kings bridge 
meadow gate, And from thence by the Old Trent untill to the ancient Course of the Water of 
Leene ; which is the bound between the Kings Meadow and the Meadow of Wilforth and from 
henceforward by the said ancient course of the Water of Leene even to the Meadow called Carlam, 
And thence by the Comon way even to the Bridge upon Leene nigh to the Orchard of the Priory 
of Lenton, And from thence ascending by the said Water of Leene even unto the Bounds of the 
Kings Viiiage of Bulwell ; And so about the Kings Wood of Bnlweil Rise untill to the said Water 
of Leene so comeing up by the said water unto Lindby-Mill and so through the Midle Town of 
Linuby unto the Cross there, And thence from the said Cross by the great Highway which leads to 
the ancient Castle of Annessy, ieaveing the said Castle on the right hand, And from thence by the 
said great Highway unto Stolegate which leads unto Chesterfield iediute ; And from thence turning 
out of the way a very little towards the West by the Stole Stighc from the north part of Annessey 
field unto a certain Lane which is between Annessey Woodhouse field on the West side and a- 



452 HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM. 



certain Assart ground of Richard Savion, heretofore of Evans de Bretton on the East side ; And 
so goeing down through the said Lane towards the North unto a certain Corner called Nuncarr, 
And from thence by the way between the Moores of Kirkby-fields unto the Lane between the 
ffields of Hardewick and ffields of Kirkby, And then by the said Lane towards the East; And then 
towards the North by the housedoore of Hardewick up to Mannswell Hedde ; And from thence 
towards the West by Hardewicke hedge, And so goeing down towards the South by the Rewarder 
Mere, between Kirkby ffields and Sutton ffields, up unto Holebrucke Hawe ; And from thence by 
the hedge of Holebrucke Hawe unto Coolegate ; And so passing away by the Coppice Wood of 
the Lord the King called ffullwood, And so by the whole Bounds of ffullwood round about up to 
Normanton Lane, And from the said Lane by the hedge of Normanton ffield, up to Hawkiswell 
And from thence about the ffields of Dirty Hucknall and Houthwell up to Milnford bridge; 
And from thence turning away by the great Way from Nottingham and the water up to 
Heyterbridge, And by the said water goeing down to Plesey, And from thence by the water of 
Mayden unto the Town of Warsop, And so through the Middle Town of Warsop up unto the 
Cross there, And so directly by the way of Warsop, And by that way unto the said water of 
Mayden, And so by the said water towards the East up to Mugley ffoard ; And from thence 
goeing up towards the North*unto the Heselgapp, And so leaveing the Prest Crown on the right 
hand up unto the hedge between Rumwood and Crown ffields up to the Kings Park late of the 
Abbot of Welbeck, And then goeing up by the said Park unto the Owtegate fforrest ; which is 
between the said Park, and the Park of the Earle of Shrewsbury heretofore Lord of ffurnevall, 
And from the said Owtegate extending to Byards Stable, And again goeing up between the said 
Parks unto the Rodegate, And so goeing down towards the East by the Sand Rodegate to a certain 
Stone at the East of Warwood ; And so descending a little towards the South unto A certain Stone 
in Clumbre, And so beyond the fiords of Clumbre even to A Stone fixed on the East part of 
Glemires and on the North part of the way there; And from thence directly towards the South up 
to another Stone which is fixed near to the way leads from Merrillbriggs to Awsland, And from 
thence up to a certain Holyn, which is nigh to Thoresbie ffields, And goeing- down through the 
aforesaid ffields (viz.) by the Parson Balke unto the Town of Thoresbie, and from thence by the 
water of Meaden to Coningbie foard, And from thence by the great way from Blyth to Coningswath 
forth, and so on the West part of the Town of Wellow, And from thence by the great way which 
leads from Nottingham unto Blackstone Hew, And from thence unto the little brooke of Dover 
becke, And so as that Brooke runs through the Middle of the Town of Cathorp thence by the said 
brooke of Dover beck where it was wont to runn of ancient time unto the water of Trent, And so 
the aforesaid water untill it come against the Abbey of Shelford ; So that the said Abbey is out of 
the fforrest, And afterwards by the said River of Trent where of ancient time it used to run (viz.) 
on the East side the new course now of Trent unto the Mannor of Colwicke, And there where the 
water of Trent was wont to runn, So that the Limitts there called Hekin is within the fforrest, 
And from thence by the said River unto Nottingham Bridge called Heathbecke Briggs and from, 
thence by the South part of the Meadows of Nottingham unto the Castle there/* 



APPENDIX. 



453 



THE TOWJY ARMS AJYB COMMON SEAL. 

Of the arms little need be said, they are as depicted in the title page. Gules, three crowns, or 
with a cross raguled and trunked vert set in the lowest. The cross raguled, evidently refers to 
the time when Nottingham was a forest town ; and the crowns as certainly bear an allusion to the 
connexion once subsisting between the borough and royalty. 

The common seal represented below, bears marks of very great antiquity; and is generally 
allowed to be coeval with the charter of King John. The fortress is a very handsome specimen 
of the ancient Norman castles, and with the crescent and star, form as beautiful a seal as can be 
produced of its age, by any borough in Great Britain. 




* Y 



INJ3E 




AcHAM'S Charity 

Act relating to the Flood Road 

Air Balloon - ... 

Ale and Malt 

Alms Houses, Observations on 

Ancient religious Houses 

Archdeacons, list of 

Arkwright Richard 

Arras and Common Seal of the Town 

Assembly Rooms - 

Asylum, Lunatic 

Aurora Borealis first noticed 

Ayscough Samuel - 

Bakewell Place - 

Banks - ■ » . -_ 

Baptists, General ... 

Baptists, Particular ... 

Baptists, Scotch ... 

Barker John, his gift ... 

Barracks ... 

Baths public .... 

Bell Dr. ... 

Benedictine Nuns at Derby, their Charter (Note) 

Benefactions to the Infirmary 

Benefactions and Charities 

Benevolent Institutions ... 

Bilby's Hospital ... 

Bilby Elizabeth, her Chanty 

Blue Coat School ... 

Bone Lace .... 

Booth Thomas, his curious Epitaph 

Boroughs, French and English 

Bott's Society ... 

Brewhouse Yard . . 50, 

Bridge over the Trent 

Bridgemaster's Hospital ... 

Britain, its ancient Names, (Introduction) 

Brocade made upon the Stocking Frame 

Bugge Hall ... 



PAGE. 
187 

17 

40 

201 

156 

1 32 

288 

247 

453 

68 

180 

381 

352 

68 
252 
113 
108 
108 
186 

48 

27 
128 
135 
163 
182 
129 
149 
189 
122 
213 

99 

64 
129 
433 

18 

147 

7 

223 

68 



PAGE. 

Buildings in general - - - 68 

Burgess Oaihs - 255 

Burgesses fiee of Tolls (Note) - - 256 

Burrows John, his Charity - - 190 

Burton William, his Charity - - 189 

Bush Mrs. her Imprisonment 58 

Butt Dyke . . . - .53 

Bywater John, an ingenious Mechanic (Note) 204 

Carmelites - . - - 134 

Cartledge Samuel ... 249 

Castle, account of - - 41 

Castle, Governors of 47 
Castle-gate Meeting . . .107 

Catholic Chapel ... ll5 

Chapel-bar, description of - - 28 

Chapel, St. James's - - 102 

Charities and Benefactions - - 182 

Charity Schools . . . 122 
Charter of King Henry II. . -411 

Charter of King Henry VI. - - 412 

Charter of King William and Queen Mary - 426 

Church, St. Mary's - . 80 

Church, St. Peter's - - - 91 

Church, St. Nicholas's 97 

Church, St. James's ... 102 

Church, St. Michael's . - 102 

Civil Government ... 252 

Clay and Sand Fields . . 30 

Collin's Charity ... 189 

Collin's Hospital ... 153 

Common Council ... 262 

Common Seal and Arras of the Town - 453 

Contested Elections ... 299 

Coppices ... is 

Corporation Servants ... 272 

Corporation, ancient Customs of - 273 

Cotton Mill - - . 248 

Cotton Yarn ... 245 
Crosses - - - .62 



456 



INDEX. 



Curriers and Fellmongeri 

Dawson William, an ingenious Needlemaker 
Deering Charles, M. D.- 
Derby Ribs - 
Derby Ribbed Machine described 
Dissenting Chapels 
Doomsday Book (Introduction) 
Druids' Holes - 

Drury William, his Charity 
Ducking, beginning of - 
Duel .... 

Eauls of Nottingham 
Ecclesiastical Goverament 
Election and Police Bill - 
Entrenchments - 

Exchange Hall 
Exchange Hall, New 
Expenses of making Burgesses (Note) 
Eyre Vincent, his singular Epitaph 

Fairs and Markets 

Family of Love - 

Fellmongers and Curriers 

Fishery *■ 

Fishpond Gardens 

Floods - 

Flood Road 

Forest and Waste Lands 

Forest of Shirewood, account of 

Foundries » 

Fox George, account of 

Fox Charles James, his Letter to the Mayor 

Framebreakers, Acts relating to 

Framework-knitters 

Framework-knitting Trade, Subdivisions of 

Free School _"_.-. 

Frost William, his Charity 

Gaol ... 

Gardening, account of - - 

Garden, Queen's 

Gas Light (Note) - 

Glass Houses - 

Grant of Fairs by Queen Anne 

Grantham's Benefaction - 

Greaves William, his Charity 



PAGE. 

212 

231 
340 
219 
220 
105 
11 
36, 38 
191 
386 
398 

307 

288 

395 

21 

60 

404, 410 

255 

94 

61 

433 

212 

21 

39 

15 

16 

31 

37, 448 

207 

109 

(Note) 287 

218, 434 

213 

244 

115 

189 

54 
39 
39 
207 
251 
430 
186 
190 



Gregory William and John, their Charities 
Gregory's White Rents 
Grey Dr. his Charity 
Guildhall 

Hallam William 

Hancock Thomas, Engineer 

Hancock Widow, her Case stated 

Handley's Aim Houses 

Hargreave James, an ingenious Weaver 

Hephzibah Chapel 

High Pavement Meeting - 

High Sheriffs of the County 

High Stewards of the Honor of Peverel 

Hooper's Sconce - 

Hospital, General 

Hospital, Plumptree's 

Hospitals, Alms Houses, &c. 

House of Correction 

Hudson Kitty, Case of - 

Hurricane, dreadful one 

Hutchinson Colonel, Life of 

Jackson Luke, his Charity 

James John, his Charity 

Infirmary, General ... 

Johnson Rev. Richard, Anecdote cf 

Kingston's Light Horse 
Kippis Rev. Andrew, D. D. 
Knotted Work 

Labray's Hospital 

Lace Work ... 

Lady Bay - 

Lambley Hospital - 

Lamps - 

Lancaster Joseph - 

Lancasterian School 

Lands, &c. belonging to the Burgesses 

Lawton Mary, her Charity 

Lee Rev. William ... 

Leen Bridge, Inquisition taken respecting it 

Leen Mill (Note) 

Leen River ... 

Lenton Charity - 

Lenton Priory, Foundation Deed 

Liberties of the Town 



PAG3. 

18S 
151 
191 

54 

127 

25 
409 
189 
246 
113 
106 
290 
104 

20 
159 
136 
136 

59 
172 

23 
316 

190 
192 
159 

122 

580 
342 

225 

154 

229 

20 

155 

75 

128, 401 

405 

255 

190 

213 

24 

25 

23 

191 

431 

31 



INDEX. 



457 



PAGE. 



Local and Political Events 

Lockit Henry, gent, his Charity 

Lord Lieutenants of the County 

Lunatic Asylum ... 

Malt Trade - - - - 

Manners Sir Thomas, his Charity 

Manners Roger, his Charity 

Markets and Fairs - 

Market Place - 

Martin Henry, his Charity 

Masters of the Free School 

Mayo Benjamin (Note) 

Mayor, his Election - 

Mayor and Sheriff's Court 

Mayors, List of 

Maypole - 

Meadows - 

Meeting Houses - 

Members for the Town - - 

Members for the County 

Meridian 

Merrey Walter 

Mettham Elizabeth and Hannah, their Charity 

Methodist Chapel - 

Methodist Chapel, new one built 

Middleton Jury - 

Militia .... 

Miliington Gilbert - 

Minorites or Greyfriars - 

Montague Lady Mary Wortley (Note) - 

Moore John, of Leicester 

Mortimer's Hole ... 

Newspaper (Note) - 

Nottingham, ancient Name of Nottingham (In- 
troduction) ... 
Nottingham Castle ... 
Nottingham, its Caves (Introduction) 
Nottingham, its Charters ^~ 
Nottingham made a County of itself 
Nottingham, Earls of 
Nottingham, Fairs at - 
Nottingham, Mayors jf - 
Nottingham, its Members of Parliament 
Nottingham, Meridian of 
Nottingham, Population of - 
Nottingham, Persons of Eminence residing at - 



371 \ 
189 \ 



291 
180 

201 
187 
187 
61 
61 
187 
121 



370 5 

274 5 
X 



276 
281 

298 

29 

61 

292 

292 



96 



41 

10 
411 
257 
307 

61 



115 \ 

383 \ 
189 
111 
406 
31 
382 
338 
133 
131 



5 



127 \ 



45 



Nottingham, right of Election at (Note) 
Nottingham, Situation of 
Nottingham, Town Clerks of - 
Nottingham, Volunteers of 

Observations on Alms Houses 
O'Burns, a Ventriloquist _ - 

Oilet-hole Work described 
Oldham Charles, the Street Musician 
Old Trent 

Paramour Jonathan, gent, his Charity 

Parnham William, his Charity 

Particular Baptists 

Patten's Alms Houses 

Pearson John - 

Peckham Sir George, his Charity 

Peet Thomas . - - 

Perks Mr. his Benefaction 

Persons of Eminence residing in the Town 

Petition to Oliver Cromwell 

Peverel Court - 

Philadelphians 

Pilcher-gate Alms Honses 

Pin and Wire Drawing Manufactory 

Point Net - 

Point Net Machine described - 

Population - 

Population of Radford (Note) 

Population of Sneinton (Note) 

Population of Standard Hill 

Poulton Captain, his Company 

Printing (Note) 

Prisons - 

Prisoners in the Castle 

Provisions - 

Quaker's Meeting 

Quaker's Explanation 

Queen's Garden - . . 

Queen Anne's Grant 



Race Ground 

Race Stand 

Races, account of 

Rack to the Lace Frame introduced 

Radford Church built 

Raikes Mr. of Gloucester 



281 



115 | 



75 

316 



5 
bZ 



PAGE. 

395 

13 

287 

393, 397 

156 

369 

222 

370 

21 

191 
191 

108 
148 
356 
187 
353 
186 
316 
439 
103 
433 
142 
251 
231 
232 

75 
391 
397 
405 
432 

96 
54, 55 

43 

79 

108 

407 

39 

430 

32 

33 

32 

236 

403 

128 



458 



INDEX. 



Recorders 


. 


PAGE. 

287, 400 


Rectors of St. Nicholas's 


. 


100 


Rectors of St. Peter's 


- 


96 


Revolution in 1688, beginning of 


- 


376 


Riding School 


- 


51 


River Trent 


- 


14 


River Leen 


- 


23 


Roads - 


- 


27 


Roberts Thomas, his Charity 


- 


190 


Robin He-od 


- 


34 


Robinson William, his Charity 


- 


188 


Roman Catholics 


- 


115 


Rowe Mrs. 


- 


58 


Rowse John, the Historian (Introduction) 


8 


Sabellians 


- 


113 


Sacramental School - 


- 


127 


Sadler's Balloon 


- 


403 


St. Ann's Well 


- 


33 


St. James's Chapel 


- 


102 


St. James's Church - 


- 


102 


St. John of Jerusalem, Brethren of 




132 


St. John's Prison 


- 


59 


St. Leonard's Hospital 


- 


134 


St. Mary's Church - 


- 


80 


St. Mary's-gate Chapel 


- 


113 


St. Michael's Church 


- 


102 


St. Nicholas's Church 


- 


97 


St. Peter's Church 


- 


91 


St. Sepulchres's, fraternity of 


- 


135 


Sand and Clay Fields 


- 


30 


Sandemanians 


- 


110 


Sands, Mr. John 


- 


103 


Sandby, Mr. Paul 


- 


350 


Sandby, Mr. Thomas 


- 


352 


Sanderson Thomas, his Charity 


- 


188 


Schools - 


- 


115 


Shambles 


- 


61, 404 


Shepherd's-race 


- 


36 


Sheriff 's-court 


- 


275 


Sheriffs, List of - 


- 


284 


Sherwin Robert, his Charity 


- 


187 


Sherwin Robert, Jun. his Charity 


- 


187 


Shipley Henry 


- 


357 


Shire Hall 


- 


55 


Shirewoad Forest 


- 


37, 448 



Shoemakers 



212 



Silk 

Sion Chapel - 

Skeffington William, Esq. his Charity 

Smiths - 

Sneinton new Church 

Society of Friends, their explanation 

Somers William, an impostor 

Song in praise of Nottingham Ale 

Spice Chamber 

Spiritual Court (Note) 

Square Net Lace 

Standard-hill - 

Standard-hill, population of 

Staples Robert, his Charity 

Statistical account of the Stocking Trade 

Stocking Frames, number of in the World 

Streets - 

Tabernacle 

Tanners - - - 

Tanners' Hall 

Terrier of St. Mary's (Note) 

Theatre': - 

Thoroton Robert, M. D. 

Thorpe William, his Charity 

Throsby John 

Thurland, or Clare Hall 

Tibson Jacob, his Charity 

Toft, description of (Note) 

Town Clerks - 

Town Gates (Note) 

Town Hall 

Town Rate 

Town Wall 

Town Watch 



PAGE. 

250 
110 
190 
206 
401 
407 
364 
202 
61 
93 
230 
404 
405 
190 
238 
243 
70 

110 

207 

208 

88 

68 

339 

189 

342 

67 

192 

31 

287 

28 

54 

91 

52 

279 



Towns being Counties of themselves (Introduction) 11 

Towns and Villages containing Stocking-frames 

Trade - 

Trent derivation of its name 

Trent Bridge - 

Trent River - 

Trentham Mr. Shot - 

Trial, important one, Alderman Ashwell defendant 262 

Trigge Alderman Thomas his Charity - 191 

Tuck ribs - - - 119 

Twilled Work - - - 224 

Twist net - - - 44& 



194 
22 
18 
14 

403 



INDEX. 



459 







PAGE. 


Unitarians 




- 


107 


Unitarians Charity School 


- 




126 


Universalists 




- 


113 


Ushers of the Free School 


- 




121 


Vaccine institution 




m 


130 


Velvet made upon the Stocking frame 


- 




223 


Vicars of St. Mary's 




- 


86 


Villages and Towns containing Stocking 


Frames 


238 


Volunteer infantry raised 


- 


293, 


397 


"Wakefield Rev. Gilbert 




m 


346 


Walker Rev. George 


. 


107, 


398 


Walker Anthony, his Charity 




- 


191 


Wards with their respective Aldermen 


- 




270 


Warps . 




. 


227 


Warp Lace 


- 




231 


Warsergate Hopital 




. 


143 


Wartnaby's Hospital 


- 




141 



Water works 

White, Mr. Henry Kirke 

White, Sir Thomas, his Loan 

Wildbore Charles 

Willoughby William, his Charity 

Willoughby's Hospital 

Wilson Mary, her Charity 

Wollaton Hall, when built (Note) 

Woodfall Miss (Note) - 

Woolley's Beadhouses 

Woolley, Clockmaker (Note) 

Woollen Cloth Trade 

Wootton, the Steeple-climber 

Workhouses 

Worsted Mills 

Yards, Courts and Alleys 
Yarn, Cotton 



PAGE. 

25 

359 

182 

355 

187 

145 

188 

14 

68 

144 

60 

204 

93 

69 

249 

72 
245 



ERRATA. 



INTRODUCTION, page 10, line 2 from the bottom ; for the, read they. 
Page 14, line 13, for the latter being, read, which view is further. 

20, .... 11, after to, read, give. 

21, .... 21, for one arch, read, two arches. 
. 23, .... 26, for were, read, was. 
. 40, So much of lines 16 and 17 as relates to latitude and longitude, to be 

taken out ; as being correctly given, page 115. 
. 47, line 13, take out, and. 
. 60, .... 7, take out, which were. 

. 77, 10, from the bottom, for 2139, read, 2739. 

. 90, Note, for the Trinity House, read, a Chantry House. 

, 115, line 13 from the bottom, place a comma after hook, and take out the dash. 
. 164, take out the note as the donor is still unknown. 
. 195, line 2, takeout, new desires in the human heart. 
. 199, .... 10, for wreath, read, writhe. 

. 204, Note, for rigging and unrigging, read, reefing and unreefing the sails, §c 
. 239, for Aston Flenville, read, Aston Flamville. 
. 239, for Nailstowe, read, Nailstone. 

. 241, Bredon, Gloucestershire, should be Breedon, Worcestershire. 
. 241, North Stoke, Gloucestershire, should be, North Stoke, in Somersetshire. 
. 241, for Farncomb, read, Farnham. 

. 242, for Loceby, Lincolnshire, read, Loseby, Leicestershire. 
. 242, for Poisby in Scotland, read, Paisley. 

. 383, the great cheese riot, mentioned in 1764, happened in 1766. 
, 304, reverse the numbers in Caunt. and Buxton's electien, as the latter 
gentleman had the majority. 



, IRRARY OF CONGRESS 

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